King Tides Are Leaving South Floridians Feeling All Wet
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- It's not raining but some South Florida streets are underwater thanks to the seasonal king tides which swelled again Friday morning.
Chopper 4 flew over areas of South Florida most severely affected by the floods which include Riviera Isle Drive and Las Olas Boulevard, Vistamar Street and Bayshore Drive, and Birch Road and 9th Court all in Fort Lauderdale. A lot of other neighborhood up and down the East coast are affected as well.
Area residents say they dread the seasonal tides.
"It's salt water, it's so corrosive, it's damaging to the plants and the environment," said Katie Fitzgerald. "It's frustrating. It interrupts your schedule if you have one and you get all gross twice a day."
Steve Hyatt, who has lived the Las Olas area for 22 years says its gotten progressively worse over the last few years. Friday morning his wife tried to drive through the high water to leave their neighborhood, but didn't make it.
"It's a menace. She didn't realize the water was that deep. We usually don't ever take this route to get out but they blocked off the main entrance, so we are stuck with this," he said.
A Flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Thursday for King Tides along Florida's East coast.
A lot of people have taken to social media to show just how bad the flooding can be.
Canal Drive #PompanoBeach is literally "Canal Drive" #KingTides pic.twitter.com/1BI8seJPOA
— Jeff Martin (@JeffMartinMedia) October 14, 2016
This yearly phenomenon strikes between September and December and primarily impacts low-lying areas of the community prone to flooding and effects of sea level rise.
The next "King Tide" is set for 8:20 p.m. Friday.
Those who live close to the water or in low-lying areas should take the following precautions:
- Check out flood safety tips here.
- Make sure your property is ready to take the impact of the King Tides such as flooding and heavy rain.
- Read over your flood insurance policy.
- Those who experience flooding should remove waste carts as fast as you can after they are emptied. If not, wait until the next scheduled pick up to put them out.
- Make sure to report flooding or clogged storm drains to the City's 24-Hour Neighbor Service Center by calling (954) 828-8000 or via the Lauderserv mobile app
King Tides are expected to occur October 14-21; November 12-18; and December 12-16th.