A tropical disturbance triggered a rare flash flood emergency across southern Florida, leading to significant disruptions. Flights were delayed at two major airports, and low-lying streets were clogged with waterlogged vehicles.
“It looked like the beginning of a zombie movie,” said Ted Rico, a tow truck driver who spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning clearing the streets of stalled cars. “There were cars everywhere—on sidewalks, medians, and in the middle of streets, all abandoned with no lights on. It was total chaos.”
Rico, from One Master Trucking Corp., has lived in Miami his entire life and was ready for the emergency. “You know it’s coming,” he explained. “Every year it gets worse, but people still drive through the puddles.”
Since Tuesday, some areas of South Florida have received over 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain, with more expected in the coming days. Travelers had to adjust their plans as Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport saw about half of its flights canceled or postponed by Thursday noon.
Bill Carlisle, a Navy petty officer first class, spent his morning trying to catch a flight back to Norfolk, Virginia. He arrived at Miami International Airport early but found himself stuck in line for over 90 minutes and missed his flight.
He then booked an afternoon flight from Fort Lauderdale, only to find it canceled, forcing him to return to Miami for a 9 p.m. flight, hoping the heavy rains wouldn’t cause further delays.
In summary, the tropical rainstorms caused severe disruptions to travel and daily life in South Florida, highlighting the region’s vulnerability to such weather events.