Heavy Rains Flood Streets In SW Miami-Dade
SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) - Flooding plagued parts of South Florida Wednesday after record rains left areas of Southwest Miami-Dade soaked.
For many people entering the Oak Ridge community near Kendall, the only way in was by foot.
Others tried but failed to make it to their homes by car.
The rising water was just too much, even for the most rugged vehicles.
"I can't get home. It's totally flooded," Gabrielle Moghani told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana. "We tried now the biggest car we can find and we still cannot go home."
Torrential rains drenched the neighborhood along SW 97th Avenue at 125 Terrace Wednesday.
Many people were forced to leave their cars across the street because the roads were too flooded to maneuver safely.
"It's really bad," Jorge Restrepo said. "Couple cars got stuck. There's a tow truck in there pulling some people out."
Residents said they've never seen the flooding that bad.
"Never. Not in years," Moghani said. "And it's still raining. It's terrible."
At The Falls, the National Weather Service warned of possible structural flooding.
Some drivers were stranded after attempting to plow through the puddles.
"I made a mistake by going in the center lane," Andy Helley-Wright said from the driver seat of his brand new Jaguar. "Here I am completely stuck. I'm at a loss."
Maria Hernandez Cuevas used an umbrella to shield herself from the elements as she walked along Southwest 79th Avenue.
She said her usually 5-minute drive from work lasted almost half an hour, until her car stalled in the middle of the street.
"I was very scared. Cars were driving by. I felt like I was on a boat," Hernandez Cuevas explained. "It's pretty ugly there. So I left the car. I thought I was going to get hit."
CBS 4 Viewer Mark Merwitzer opted for an alternative form of transportation.
He sent in a photo of his kayak cruising along SW 75 Avenue and SW 148 Street.
Hernandez Cuevas was a bit more traditional.
She waited for a tow truck instead, soggy but satisfied she learned a lesson.
"I will stay at the office and wait for the morning after," he said when asked whether she'd drive through another storm.
