Heavy downpours leave some Broward County roadways underwater
FORT LAUDERDALE – Heavy Thursday afternoon downpours which triggered a Flash Flood Warning have left flooded streets in parts of Broward County.
Widespread flooding was reported in parts of the county, including the cities of Dania Beach, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and others.
The area around Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale International Airport, including Perimeter Road, has reported flooding. Fort Lauderdale Police temporarily closed Kinney Tunnel because of flooding downtown too.
Video captured vehicles driving by flooded streets, creating waves that caused water to enter a few homes and structures.
Waves of water splashed into a cigar shop on Hollywood Boulevard. Drivers that waded through high water and heavy rain left a mark at Black Water Tattoo and Yura Cantillo's dance studio next door.
"We stopped because we don't have students," Cantillo said. "We had to cancel all classes or we dance under the rain."
"I wish that my car wasn't (parked close to the street," Hector Ambrosino, who works at the tattoo studio said.
Back in April of this year, more than 20 inches of rainfall was reported throughout Broward, prompting officials to close the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The historic flooding event affected thousands of residents, prompting Gov. Ron DeSantis to request a federal major disaster declaration for the county after a record 25.91 inches of rain.
Ambrosino lost a car in Dania Beach during April's storm. So, his concern rose when he saw floodwater creep into cars parked along Hollywood Boulevard near Dixie Highway.
During the evening commute, traffic slowed. A Hollywood fire truck shielded drivers from danger in one westbound lane of the Boulevard at South 24th Avenue.
Near the northbound entrance to I-95 from Hollywood Boulevard, cars slowly crept through water that rose over curbs. Some drivers pulled over. Others paused or reversed. Plenty plowed forward.
"It takes hours for the water to drop lower," Erick Martinez, who works in Hollywood said. "It's just not good."
"I've been living here for eight years and in the past two years I saw this flooding getting worse," Cantillo said. "So I think they need to take care of that. Something is happening with it."
A Flood Watch continues in effect through noon Friday, with heavy rain and additional flooding possible.