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Miami Flood Recovery Slow

The Miami area is struggling to come back to order as South Florida began drying out from a tropical downpour that dumped more than 18 inches of rain in a two-day period.

Government employees returned to work and most schools reopened in Miami-Dade County.

But thousands of people still remained without power and hundreds of stalled vehicles marked still-flooded roadways Thursday and the area remained in a state of emergency imposed by Gov. Jeb Bush. President Bill Clinton also promised he would send federal help.

The president's order covered Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. Residents would be able apply for federal assistance for housing, loans and grants.

Officials reported more than 93,000 homes with approximately 214,000 residents in still-flooded areas of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.

About 9,000 homes and businesses remained without power Thursday, Florida Power and Light reported. Spokesman Bill Swank said many of those were served by underground lines that restoring all power may take several days. At its worst, the flooding left about 91,000 customers without power.

Bush flew to Miami Wednesday and toured the washed out communities.

"I saw first hand the flooding and devastation that many Florida residents are experiencing," said Bush. "I want to make sure that we do everything we can ... to ensure that people get the help they need to recover from this storm."

At a Sweetwater shelter, one of two opened in the county, Bush was greeted by about 150 flood victims on Wednesday.

"My house smells like pee," Amelia Wybern, 38, told the governor. "It's completely flooded. I've lost everything."

On Florida's west coast, flood warnings were issued for parts of Lee County as 9 inches of rain fell Wednesday. In Lehigh Acres, children rowed in boats along streets. Vacant lots and lawns were under 3 feet of water.

The storm, being called a subtropical depression by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, was responsible for two deaths.

A worker died Wednesday morning when he fell about 35 feet while trying to drain a roof on Miami Beach, police spokesman Al Boza said.

A metal pole Roberto Arieta was using apparently touched a live wire, possibly electrocuting the 36-year-old father and sending him over the two-story building onto a metal gate, which decapitated him.

Another man, 41-year-old Evert Miranda, died when he drove a vehicle towing luggage into an overflowing canal at Miami International Airport.

The torrential rain moved off into the Atlantic Ocean and flood watches were lifted late Wednesday for southeastern Florida, but forecasters said there was still a 40 percent chance of rain Thursday.

The Miami-Dade County Health Department warned residents to avoid contact with standinwater that could be contaminated by overflow of sewer systems and septic tanks.

People with private wells and residents in a farming district in extreme southern Miami-Dade County were advised to boil their drinking water for a minute or pick up clean water from distribution centers.

White House spokesman Steve Boyd said the president, who came here Tuesday to raise money for Democrats but was sidelined by thunderstorms, will sign a disaster declaration request allowing victims to get state and federal money to help them recover from the storm.

The depression began as a system over Cuba before it was pulled across the Florida Straits, picking up moisture along the way, said meteorologist Joel Rothfuss.

© 2000 CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report

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