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Expert on weekend rain, flooded streets: 'It's worrisome, we need to place bigger emphasis on climate change'

FIU hydrologist says 'we need to place bigger emphasis on climate change' after weekend's severe flo
FIU hydrologist says 'we need to place bigger emphasis on climate change' after weekend's severe flo 02:06

MIAMI - Over the weekend and early this week, we saw heavy rain that inundated parts of South Florida. 

Florida International University professor Dr. Mike Sukop, from the Earth and Environment Department, called the water level rise worrisome. 

Sukop said, "We have sea level rising, we have storm frequency increasing, we have storm intensity increasing. It's worrisome… So, sea level rise transmits inland to the groundwater so that leaves less room in the ground to store the rainfall." 

Dr. Sukop said he saw places flood that typically haven't had many issues in the past like Little Haiti.

He said the rain event is something that we see once every 50 years and has major concerns about low-lying areas like Cutler Bay.

Sukop told CBS 4 that he believes we need to raise the street levels and also place a bigger emphasis on climate change. 

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