More flooding came to Miami-Dade, Broward. Parts were under flash-flood warning
Extreme weather isn’t quite done with South Florida, as parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties experience heavy flooding after being put under a flash-flood warning Thursday.
Just after 2:45 p.m., the flash-flood area stretched from North Miami to Hollywood and extended westward up to Opa-locka. The National Weather Service said the flash-flood warning would stand until 8:45 p.m.
Forecasters say 423,382 people could be affected and experience flash floods. The weather service is advising residents to avoid walking or driving through floodwaters and to move immediately to higher ground.
It is projected that about 35 mph winds, lightning and waterspouts are possible in Biscayne Bay and coastal waters from Deerfield Beach to Ocean Reef extending 20 nautical miles.
The 85th Street bridge in Miami Beach became a place of refuge for drivers of low-lying cars. By 7 p.m., the two-lane bridge was packed on both sides with parked cars hoping to stay out of the rapidly advancing floodwaters. Pedestrians waded through nearly knee-deep waters as they abandoned their vehicles.
A woman parking her car nearby shouted to passing neighbors, “Does this block flood too? Am I safe?”
On Normandy Shores, water inundated the streets bordering Fairway Park in Miami Beach. South Shore Drive had several inches of water rise over the sidewalk and into the park and driveways. Around 8 p.m., two cars stalled in high water while the rain continued.
Attorney Suzanne Vazquez waded barefoot from her damaged van, sloshing to her nearby apartment. She’d managed to push the van closer to the submerged curb.
“I’ve got full coverage,” she said. “I’ll be OK.”
Moments later, a tow truck pulled onto the street to haul a stalled sedan about 50 feet behind the van. Another 50 feet up the street, a driver stopped at the edge of the floodwaters before turning around.
Several stretches of low-lying streets in the North Beach had water pooling. Drivers sent wakes lapping up at the doors of businesses on 71st Street and Normandy Drive. One convenience store had sandbags stacked in front, and a man had a wet vac running inside.
By 9 p.m. the streets were mostly dry and only a handful of cars remained, but tow trucks were busy hauling immobilized cars out of a deep puddle on Bryron Ave and 85th.
Hayley Ullman, 24, walked more than 10 blocks home from the only dry parking spot she could find, a residential lot. She walked through puddles that reached up to her thighs.
“I hope I don’t get towed,” she said. “Now I understand why people say Miami Beach is gonna be underwater in 10 years.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 4:44 PM.
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