Fort Lauderdale flooding: Airport reopens after being closed
Flight activity was halted for more than 24 hours due to the historic downpour.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A radar estimated 20 inches of rain fell in parts of South Florida overnight Wednesday into Thursday, causing the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to temporarily close due to flooding and debris on the airfield.
FLL authorities officially announced the airport would reopen at 9 a.m. Friday after being closed for more than 24 hours, according to their latest travel alert.
The airport says this temporary closure allowed staff to work on restoring some operations on one runway, given the weather conditions do not worse.
"Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for updated flight time before coming to the airport," FLL said. "Thank you for your patience as we work to restore normal operations."
#Travel Alert ( Update No. 9): Airline operations at #FLL are set to begin at 9AM, Friday, April 14, 2023. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for updated flight times BEFORE coming to the airport. Thanks for your patience as we work to restore normal operations.
— Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) April 14, 2023
People stuck at the airport posted videos of images on Twitter of stalled traffic and high water on Thursday.
One Twitter user said she was stuck at the airport for eight hours.
Iconic images from my 8 hours stuck in the Fort Lauderdale airport #fortlauderdale #FLL #airport #flood #ftlauderdale #ftlauderdaleairport
— Keyla Alvarado (@keylaalvarado) April 13, 2023
Once daylight broke Thursday morning, the aftermath of the torrential rainfall and heavy flood revealed a rain-covered runway at Fort Lauderdale's airport.
Daylight reveals the flooding left behind at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Int’l airport after yesterday’s storms, including the runway — the airport is closed until at least 12p. @CBSNews
— Manuel Bojorquez (@BojorquezCBS) April 13, 2023
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for Fort Lauderdale and other areas which ran into pre-dawn hours Thursday as the chance of thunderstorms continued across the region, warning: “This is a life-threatening situation. Seek higher ground now!”
There have been no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.
