Broward flooding turns streets into lakes, delays flights at Fort Lauderdale airport

Heavy downpours drenched parts of northern Broward County on Thursday, causing treacherous driving conditions as rain flooded streets and roads.

Northeast 56th Street in front of Northeast High School turned into a lake, a recurring problem following relentless rainstorms.

Gay Rogers, who has lived with the flooding for 50 years, said speeding cars regularly send waves of water splashing to her front door, leaving trash scattered across her lawn.

"It's horrible. You can't get out," Rogers said. "I worry it will come into my house".

The high water also created obstacles for students trying to get into school. Freshman David Ramirez showed off his drenched jeans after leaving school through the high water.

"You can't dodge it, you are gonna get wet no matter what," Ramirez said.

South of Oakland Park in Melrose Manors, located off Broward Boulevard, widespread street flooding covered the southwest neighborhood. A planned city drainage project for the area remains two years away.

A city pump truck arrived on scene to drain rainwater from the streets. Carl Marchant, a resident who previously lost two cars to floodwaters, expressed relief as crews worked.

"I love it," Marchant said. "At least they'll get water pumping out".

The weather also caused flight delays at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

However, nearby areas saw significant improvement. The Edgewood neighborhood off State Road 84, which suffered severe flooding three and a half years ago, remained mostly clear. River Oaks, located north of State Road 84, also drained.

The city's new pump system, which pushes water from those neighborhoods into the New River and out to the ocean, appears to be helping.