South Florida - April 13, 2023: Governor DeSantis Thursday issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency for Broward County due to severe flooding and rainfall.
The declaration cites the widespread showers and thunderstorms Wednesday night that produced significant rainfall totals in certain areas of Broward County, including the City of Fort Lauderdale. The heavy rainfall amounted to over 25 inches and created wide-spread flooding.
In the Governor's declaration warned that the rainfall and flooding "may continue to impact the operational capability of critical infrastructure, including major state and county roadways, airports, hospitals, schools, and other critical infrastructure throughout Broward County."
A copy of Executive order 23-65 can be found here.
Wednesday Night
Nearly a foot (30 centimeters) of rain fell in a matter of hours in Fort Lauderdale – causing widespread flooding, the closure of the city’s airport and the suspension of high-speed commuter rail service for the Broward County region.
The city of Fort Lauderdale released a statement Wednesday evening urging residents and visitors to stay off the roads until the water has subsided. “Police and Fire Rescue continue to answer calls for service,” the statement said. “Public Works staff are clearing drains and operating pumps to mitigate the water as quickly as possible.”
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for Fort Lauderdale and other areas warning - “This is a life-threatening situation. Seek higher ground now!”
All Broward County Public Schools were closed Thursday, and the Fort Lauderdale Airport is not expected to resume operations until 5 am Friday
There have been no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.