OPA-LOCKA, FLA. (WSVN) - The driving rain that caused extensive flooding across South Florida in the wake of Tropical Storm Eta, particularly in Broward County, has largely dissipated from the area, but as crews continue cleanup efforts, residents are still dealing with standing water and muddy roads.
7News cameras captured crews hard at work pumping out floodwater in Fort Lauderdale, Friday.
An aerial view of ranches in Miramar showed homes still surrounded by water, and nearby roads still looking like rivers.
Roads remained flooded in parts of Miami-Dade County as well. Friday night, the driver of a white sedan was seen navigating through standing water in Opa-Locka.
Area resident Perry Thrower said crews cleaned up the area on Thursday, but that night’s rainfall caused additional flooding.
“The rain came, it came right back, and it flooded all of this last night,” he said.
In Davie, residents are frustrated with the pace the water is receding.
“See that car sitting there? I can’t get out,” said an area resident. “This is the worst we’ve ever had, and it’s also the slowest drainage we’ve ever had.”
Despite the break from the rain across much of South Florida on Friday, a flood watch remained in place until 7 p.m. for metropolitan Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
In Fort Lauderdale, conditions eventually improved, but the flooding has created major problems. Some residents couldn’t even leave their homes because it was so bad.
“We’ve had rainstorm after rainstorm after rainstorm,” said Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis.
James Watts said his car was no match for the washed-out roads. He said he had to wait at least three days before he was able to safely leave his home.
“I was just hoping it wouldn’t go into my exhaust and mess up my engine,” he said.
But relief could be on the way. Trantalis said Melrose Park and Melrose Manors flooded partly because their sewer lines were never connected to the city since being annexed in 2002.
“Right now, there’s no place for it to drain,” he said.
The mayor said there is a two-tier plan over the next five years to improve the storm runoff in communities across Fort Lauderdale. However, those communities aren’t at the top of the list.
Trantalis said that needs to change.
“It’s imperative that we completely redesign that and rethink our priorities, add them to the list of the first tier of neighborhoods,” he said.
Even if it takes years to see improvements, Watts said, it needs to get done.
“I know it’s going to take time going street by street, but I think it’s pretty much worth it,” he said.
That plan is expected to cost around $200 million.
Back in Opa-Locka, neighbors who live near Aswan Road and 132nd Street are upset with the potholes and all of the standing water.
“This is ridiculous out here. Opa-Locka can do better than this,” said Thrower.
Fortunately, meteorologists said, drier air is expected to move in during the weekend and possibly during the early part of next week. Rain chances are forecast to fluctuate between 20% and 30% over the next several days.
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