FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two days after residents teamed up with neighbors to get out of their flooded homes in Broward County, many are still dealing with water issues.
Local 10 News was in Fort Lauderdale’s Edgewater neighborhood where homeowners were ankle-deep from what the National Weather Service called a “1 in 1,000-year flood.”
The water that started pouring during Wednesday’s deluge also invaded homes and cars in the Melrose Park neighborhood.
“I have lived here since 1987 and it has never been like this,” said Yolanda Spence, a Melrose Park resident. “I was in tears this morning when I got up.”
Dylan Loller, whose house flooded in Fort Lauderdale, told Local 10 News that many older people that live in the area weren’t able to get out of their homes.
“It’s an older community. It’s people that have lived there for a long time and we’ll be the first ones to tell you that they’ve never seen anything like this and that’s why a lot of them didn’t get out,” said Loller.
In the Lauder Lakes Mobile Home Community, conditions inside flooded homes are starting to break down.
“The smell of the mildew--I had to get out of there,” said one man.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said authorities on all levels are working to move the water that started soaking Broward County Wednesday using low tide combined with vacuum trucks and pumps.
“We will not be able to get into the communities at a really effective rate until we can get that water displaced,” he said.
First responders still working around the clock to alleviate the water damage.
“They are working on the door-to-door, street-to-street with their swamp buggies and their high-water vehicles to make sure that we’re getting residents out of their homes,” Guthrie said.
“The water may not be over your head but it’s up to your knees and there’s still damage,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. “We saw pictures of people’s furniture floating in their living rooms and their kitchen so we’re going to do our best to combine our efforts to see how we can help these folks and get them back to their homes.”
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Flooding emergency in areas of Broward
- Friday update from Fort Lauderdale officials
- Afternoon report from Oakland Park
- Afternoon report from FLL
- Afternoon report from Hallandale Beach
- Flood traps Broward residents; some with water inside homes, cars for 2nd night
- Flood warning to remain in effect for Fort Lauderdale metro area until 8 a.m., Friday
- Fort Lauderdale shelters 600 amid flood ‘emergency’
- Rescues continue in inundated Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods
- ‘Unprecedented’ flooding impacts residents, businesses in Dania Beach, Hollywood
- Here’s why downpour in Florida just wouldn’t stop
- New video shows harrowing moments during floods in Hollywood, Dania Beach area
- Wilton Manors residents dealing with devastation from excessive flooding
- Fort Lauderdale shopping center roof collapses following extreme rain
- Fort Lauderdale Beach officials release video of water pouring into parking garage
- Flooding sparks electrical fire at Fort Lauderdale home
- Flooded streets causing major concern for Hollywood residents, mobile homeowners
- Officials: Extreme Broward flooding not a result of pumps or canals, which functioned normally
- Fort Lauderdale airport to remain closed through Friday morning due to flooding
- Heavy flooding impacts animals in Broward’s equestrian parks, farms, fields
- Red Cross opens shelter in Fort Lauderdale to aid victims affected from flooding
- What’s open, closed in South Florida
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