FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Tropical downpours turning roads into rivers in some parts of Fort Lauderdale Sunday morning as Tropical Storm Eta continues to churn offshore.
In the Melrose Park neighborhood, floodwaters completely covered some streets and even the sidewalk.
Local 10 saw a police cruiser pushing through the high waters on Long Island Ave., a scene many neighbors indicate happens far too often.
Residents of the area told Local 10 News' Trent Kelly that anytime there’s a major rain event, neighbors typically see street flooding.
The main problem, they believe, are the storm drains, some of which do not appear to be working.
Linda Lau has been living in the neighborhood for the past three decades. She explained that the flooding has only gotten worse as surrounding areas continue to get built up, leaving low lying Melrose Park at risk.
“My storm drain is full and I don’t know where to go, this is my home,” she said. “Every rain event, it floods really bad. And we have no streetlights here, so at night people can get in really bad accidents and don’t see speedbumps or anything.”
On Saturday, crews from the Fort Lauderdale Public Works Department began proactively pumping flood prone areas, including Melrose Park, where the ground is already saturated from previous rainfall.
Officials are asking any residents who see additional flooding or blocked storm drains to report it to the city’s customer service center, along with an exact location, by calling 954-828-8000.