Florida: Flood emergency in Fort Lauderdale

The city of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. announced the activation of the Emergency Operations Center and will proclaim a local state of emergency after the floods suffered in recent hours.

Nearly a foot of rain fell in a short period of time in the city, causing widespread flooding, the closure of the airport and the suspension of high-speed rail service for the Broward County region. City facilities will remain closed on Thursday.

The City of Fort Lauderdale issued a statement urging residents and visitors to stay off the roads until the water has subsided. "Fire Rescue and Police continue to answer calls for service and are doing their best to navigate through the flooded streets. There is no power at City Hall," the statement said. "Public Works staff are clearing drains and operating pumps to mitigate the water as quickly as possible."

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Miami declared a flash flood emergency for Fort Lauderdale and other nearby areas. In the last few hours, the warning was replaced by a flood warning. Although the rain has ended, numerous roads remain closed.

So far, no deaths or injuries have been reported as a result of these floods.