Tropical Storm Alex hit Florida on Saturday morning, dumping up to 12 inches of rain on Miami and trapping automobiles in flash floods as it moves through the Sunshine State.
Starting as early as 6 a.m., the Miami Fire Department said it was utilizing six high-water vehicles to extract individuals from stuck cars on flooded highways throughout the city, with the city blocking many routes that had been swamped.
‘We continue to urge you to not drive or walk through standing water,’ the fire department tweeted on Saturday morning. ‘Be safe and please allow us to assess the situation.’
As the water level climbed throughout the morning and early afternoon, many people were forced to abandon their automobiles and flee through their sunroofs.
Mario Robleto, a Miami resident who was working the graveyard shift, reported his car was totally submerged underwater when he arrived home.
‘I just came to mine and I just see the whole water inside my car and I didn’t turn it on because I knew it wasn’t going to work,’ Robleto told AccuWeather.
People in the area are also cleaning out storm drains by hand to stop the flooding after finding the drains full of leaves, trash, and other debris.
Mayor of Miami-Dade County Daniella Levine Cava said that people should stay away from flooded streets and stay inside until things get better.
By 8 a.m., the National Weather Service had issued a flood warning for the area, which is expected to end by 1 p.m.
The city of Miami also said that people should call the police department’s non-emergency number with the make and model of their stranded cars and where they were left. This would help find the cars, which may have moved because of the flooding.
Robert Hernandez, who works at a local towing company, told Weather.com that he has gotten between 12 and 20 calls from drivers who need help because their cars are stuck in the flooded roads.
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