MIAMI (WSVN) - A storm drain issue has caused severe flooding in parts of Miami following a heavy rainstorm that swept through the area.
City of Miami Police and Fire Rescue units could be seen blocking off Northeast 23rd Street and Fourth Avenue at around 4 p.m., Thursday.
Construction workers said they were working on a building near the area before the flooding occurred within two minutes. A nearby resident said the floodwater began rising at around 3 p.m.
Mark Robinson, who lives in a nearby apartment, said the same flooding happened on Sunday. He said he was in his home when he looked out of the window and saw the flood happen for the second time in four days.
“I looked outside, and all of the sudden, people are just yelling and screaming,” Robinson said. “I don’t know why. I look outside, and you see water just coming up from the center of the street. There were people in the building right across from me where they’re standing outside of their building just watching the water rise. It’s concerning. I mean, it’s like they’re worried about their belongings, their own things, and people’s cars are being submerged and damaged and stuff like that. No one needs this headache right now. We don’t need anymore fear with fear of the coronavirus.”
Cellphone video captured water spewing from the middle of the road, and the resulting floodwater crashing up against parked cars.
“Yeah, I feel really bad,” Carolina LaFuente said. “There’s a red car back there that’s been there since last Sunday. I guess the owner hasn’t been able to move it, and it happened again, and they’re stuck there. A lot of people are losing money on their cars here.”
7News cameras captured rescue crews speaking to a woman in a black BMW in the middle of the floodwater. Officials said the woman did not feel safe getting out of the vehicle, so they towed her to higher ground, so she could get out of the car.
“It doesn’t matter how much it rains, if it’s a little or a lot, the sewer here tends to overflow,” LaFuente said. “It’s just an ongoing issue that they haven’t really done anything about.”
The flooding has also caused trouble for Alberto Bolivar, a construction worker who does not know how he will get to work on Friday.
“This makes things more complicated for me,” he said. “The water was high up in my car. The water came inside. It felt like a hurricane.”
Cellphone video also captured severe flooding in parts of downtown Miami.
“If this is going to be a constant issue, then residents don’t want to see that, especially with what’s going on right now,” Robinson said.
7News cameras showed a muddy water line that had been left by the floodwater.
Police blocked off the area until the water receded.
City officials are advising residents who are having similar issues in their neighborhoods to call the city’s public works department.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.