Global Courant 2023-04-13 11:35:52
Nearly a foot of heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and subsequent flash flooding disrupted the city and forced the closure of the airport for several hours Wednesday afternoon and overnight.
Travelers were stranded for several hours at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Airport (FLL), including on roads around the airport, after “heavy rain and windy conditions” forced the facility to “temporarily” halt all arriving and departing flights for a while. after 3 pm
In a follow-up message, the Fort Lauderdale airport announced it would remain closed tonight until noon on Thursday, April 13.
“The airport’s roads are still closed and affected by flooding,” FLL said in a statement. “As stalled vehicles are removed from the upper/lower floors, the main exit artery remains flooded and clogged with slow-moving traffic. We ask for your patience as we wait to safely assess the impact of this unprecedented rainfall to allow the restore airport operations when it is safe to do so.”
FLORIDA FILLED BY HEAVY RAIN, FLOODS AS FORT LAUDERDALE CANCEL FLIGHTS: ‘LIFE BUSINESS SITUATION’
A man stops to take photos of his flooded neighborhood along SW 3rd Street and SW 4th Ave in Dania Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
A flash flood emergency remained in effect throughout the day for the Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Hollywood, Dania Beach and Sunrise areas.
“Police and fire departments continue to answer calls for service,” the city of Fort Lauderdale said in a statement Wednesday evening. “Public Works employees clean the sewers and operate pumps to drain the water as quickly as possible.”
A group of people in raincoats walk east along Hollywood Blvd. in the pouring rain on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 in Hollywood, Fla. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Exit 2 of the MacArthur Causeway spills over the road and onto the sidewalk during a downpour, Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Miami. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald via AP)
Broward schools also canceled classes and after-school activities on Thursday, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
The National Weather Service Miami said more than 8 inches of rain fell on the city in just six hours on Wednesday.
A crossing guard helps people cross the street in the pouring rain at Dania Elementary School Wednesday, April 12, 2023 in Dania, Fla. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
Cars drive on the flooded road caused by heavy rain on North Bay Rd and 179th Dr. in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)
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Closures at the airport began earlier in the day when it announced a “temporary” closure. At 4 p.m., the airport said it would remain closed because the main roads entering and exiting the facility were “flooded and impassable.”
“Do not attempt to enter or exit the airport at this time,” FLL warned. Later that same afternoon, the airport again warned travelers not to “try to enter or leave”.
A haze passes over the city during a rainstorm, Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Miami. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald via AP)
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport will be closed on April 12 and reopen on April 13 at noon. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
By 6pm, FLL said it would “remain closed to flights and road traffic until further notice”.
Photos and videos of the flooding online show hundreds of vehicles stranded on the roads around the airport.
A Hollywood beach is empty during heavy Wednesday April 12, 2023 in Hollywood, Fla. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)
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Other parts of the city were also closed as the rain continued to pour throughout the night.
A tow truck drives through the flooded road due to heavy rain on North Bay Rd and 179th Dr. in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Wednesday, April 12, 2023. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)
A truck drives through floodwaters in Little Haiti during a rainstorm, Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Miami. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald via AP)
Wilton Manors Police and other agencies have urged motorists to avoid flooded areas.
The rain will continue on Thursday and thunderstorms are predicted for Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
