MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The City of Miami Beach on Tuesday declared a State of Emergency as Hurricane Ian is expected to impact the city with tropical storm conditions, which includes flooding in low-lying areas and strong wind gusts.
“While Miami Beach is not expected to experience any direct impacts from Hurricane Ian, I am declaring a state of emergency out of an abundance of caution,” said Miami Beach City Manager Alina Hudak. “Our teams are fully operational and proactive in preparing our city, and we have additional support on standby should we need to deploy quickly.”
In regards to heavy rain caused by king tides and Hurricane Ian, the parking department will open municipal garages for residents who want to keep their cars, motorcycles or scooters out of flood-prone areas.
In areas that are prone to severe flooding, the Public Works Department has deployed temporary pumps with generators on standby. The stormwater team cleared the entire drain system, which includes pump stations.
“Fortunately, we are not getting a direct hit. That’s the good news here, but we still have to be mindful of those rainbands that can cause possible flooding in our community,” said Miami Beach commissioner Alex Fernandez.
Meanwhile, by the beach, wind and rain had knocked down power lines temporarily for a few 100 residents in the area of 65th Street and Indian Creek Drive.
“It was like a big boom and the light continued to flash,” said hotel employee Culeika Perez.
Tourists nearby were able to capture a blown transformer on video.
“One of the guests came to the lobby. We were very scary,” said Perez.
Staff at the hotel said, unfortunately, this is something that happens often. Power was even knocked down for about an hour, Monday.
“One of our employees was crossing the street when it exploded,” said Magaly Rodriguez, manager of Park Royal Miami Beach, “and we all freaked out.”
A bit of worry at the Park Royal Miami Beach, for the wicked weather that is to come and to prepare.
“I came today ready to sleep over here in case something happens,” said Rodriguez.
Outdoor Parks and Recreation programs will be canceled Wednesday until Thursday due to inclimate weather while indoor activities will continue, which includes day care for youth enrolled in the city’s after-school program.
Meetings held for the City Commission and Land Use and Sustainability will continue on Wednesday. Residents who want to participate are encouraged to join the meetings virtually.
Waste Management will not serve multifamily or commercial routes starting Wednesday. Waste Connections, which services single-family and bulk pickup, will operate on their normal schedule Wednesday as well as recycling pickup will continue as planned.
Drawbridges will remain open as the U.S. Coast Guard does not anticipate ordering drawbridge lockdowns at this time.
Events at Miami Beach OnStage on Thursday and Friday will be postponed. The Bass will be closed Wednesday and the Miami Beach Bandshell will be
closed through Friday.
Residents are encouraged to report flooding that obstructs access or causes damage to public or private property through the Miami Beach e-Gov app, by calling 305-673-7625 or emailing flooding@miamibeachfl.gov.
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