Broward County declares state of emergency after historic rainfall and floods

This Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Broward County due to heavy and sudden rains that have caused severe flooding in the locality.

Fort Laudardale is facing a historic "1-in-1,000 year," or more weather event due to the amount of rain that has fallen in a matter of hours, turning major roads into rivers.

Ana Torres-Vazquez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service forecast office in Miami, said it is extremely rare in South Florida for so much water to fall in such a short period of time. In fact, she revealed that the rainfall is comparable to what the locality would receive in more than a day during a high-level hurricane.

According to the National Weather Service, more than 26 inches of rain fell in the city during just three hours on Thursday, which is 43% of the total annual rainfall in the city, according to CBS News Chief Meteorologist Ivan Cabrera.

"Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order," the Weather Service alerted.

In light of this situation, Governor DeSantis decided to issue an executive order declaring a state of emergency in order to expedite the necessary aid to the county and its residents.

Schools across the county canceled classes, and the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was also forced to close after its runways flooded and although it said it would not open until Friday, the closure could be extended.

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said vacuum trucks are being deployed to remove water from the streets. However, he warned that due to the high volume of water, most areas will have to be drained naturally.

The city also set up a reunification center to help evacuees and an emergency shelter will also be opened with the help of the Red Cross.