BIBLICAL

Historic Fort Lauderdale Downpours Force Airports, Schools to Close

Over 20 inches of rain fell in just six hours during the state’s dry season.

Torrential downpours brought chaos to South Florida on Wednesday night, flooding homes and forcing schools and an airport to close. Over 20 inches of rain fell in just six hours near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, forcing officials to cancel flights and close terminals “until at least noon” on Thursday. All public schools in Broward County were also shut on Thursday amid reports of water flooding classrooms and entire campuses being inaccessible. A flash flood emergency warning was also issued for some areas in south Florida, with the National Weather Service office in Miami saying: “This is a life threatening situation. Seek higher ground now!” Residents shared videos of the disaster on social media showing cars abandoned on roads and airplanes taxiing through deep water. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy told CNN. “This is the most severe flooding that I’ve ever seen.”