Fort Lauderdale flooding forces airport to close, leaves drivers

Nearly a foot of heavy rain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and subsequent flash flooding disrupted the city and forced the closure of its airport for several hours Wednesday afternoon and overnight.

Travelers were left stranded at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Airport (FLL), including on roadways around the airport, for several hours after “heavy rain and windy conditions” forced the facility to “temporarily” halt all arriving and departing flight activity shortly after 3 p.m.

In a follow-up message, the Fort Lauderdale airport announced it would remain closed overnight until noon on Thursday, April 13.

“The airport’s roadways are still closed and impacted by flooding,” FLL said in a statement. “While stalled vehicles are being removed from the upper/lower levels, the main exit artery remains flooded and congested with slow-moving traffic. We ask for your patience as we wait to safely assess the impacts of this unprecedented rainfall to restore airport operations when it is safe to do so.”

FLORIDA WALLOPED BY HEAVY RAIN, FLOODING AS FORT LAUDERDALE CANCELS FLIGHTS: ‘LIFE THREATENING SITUATION’

A flash flood emergency remained in effect through the day for the Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Hollywood, Dania Beach and Sunrise areas.

“Police and Fire Rescue continue to answer calls for service,” the city of Fort Lauderdale said in a statement Wednesday evening. “Public Works staff are clearing drains and operating pumps to mitigate the water as quickly as possible.”

A group of people in raincoats walk east along Hollywood Blvd. in the pouring rain on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Hollywood, Fla.  (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

Exit 2 off of the MacArthur Causeway floods over the road and onto the sidewalk during a rainstorm, Wednesday, April 12,…