4/13/2023

Florida Division of Emergency Management Issues Updates on Southeast Florida Flooding

Widespread showers and thunderstorms overnight produced significant rainfall totals as a nearly stationary front over southeast Florida caused significant flooding. While Broward County has not requested assistance from the state, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has deployed the following:

• FDEM has deployed staff to support local efforts including collecting damage assessment data in Broward County.
• FDEM Director has been in contact with the Broward County Emergency Management Director and the Ft. Lauderdale City Manager to offer further support and coordinate future damage assessments.

Rainfall totals of 4-8 inches have fallen over southeastern Broward County and northeastern Miami-Dade County, with the heaviest rainfall amounts of 15-25 inches estimated through the Fort Lauderdale metro area. The Florida Division of Emergency Management and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport’s Florida Severe Weather MesoSTEM Network, which provides hyper-accurate local data, has registered 25.87 inches of rain. A Flood Watch remains in effect for coastal and metro Broward and Miami-Dade Counties until 8:00 PM EDT this evening.

Other state efforts include:

Department of Transportation

• FDOT is pumping flood waters at multiple locations including the New River Tunnel (US 1).
• FDOT is providing maintenance of traffic for roadway closures and working with Broward County on traffic signal outages.
• FDOT has posted messaging to digital signage advising of the airport closure and road closures caused by flooding in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
• FDOT is activating damage assessment survey applications in FDOT District 4.
• Hollywood International Airport remains closed due to weather conditions. Lauderdale International Airport is expected to remain closed.

Florida Highway Patrol

• FHP is increasing staffing to coordinate coverage in response to the flooding and in anticipation of additional storms forecasted in the area.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

• FWC has deployed three swamp buggies, two high lift UTVs, and 15 4x4 trucks to aid response.
• FWC is currently supporting Broward County Fire Rescue and the Broward County EOC to respond to high water levels in Ft. Lauderdale.
• FWC has deployed a 15-officer team in high water vehicles to assist with welfare checks, neighborhood patrols, non-emergency evacuations and calls for service.

Department of Education

• All Broward County Public Schools and District offices are closed on Thursday, April 13, 2023. All afterschool activities, events, and extracurricular activities have also been cancelled.