Flood Of Trouble In Parts Of South Florida

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Residents of southwest Miami-Dade are saying 'rain, rain, go away' after getting soaked on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service said Miami received five and half inches of rain which set a record for the day. The old record was about three inches set back in 1936.

At the Colony at Dadeland Apartments on SW 77th Street in Kendall, the water rose to about two feet in the parking lot.

Angelica Hernandez, who just moved into the complex Wednesday with her one year old child, still had unpacked boxes on the floor when the rising water started to seep into her apartment.

"I saw water coming in because the parking lot was full," said Hernandez. "I tried to protect my apartment but after an hour all the water got in and I have flooding."

Hernandez said she tried to keep her belongings dry, but it was a losing battle.

"I tried to protect my boxes, most that I can, electronics, everything," said Hernandez.  "My clothes are wet, I'm trying to protect my babys stuff but the furniture, everything, is wet."

She hopes Thursday weather will be better.

"If it's gonna be more rain I'm really worried," said Hernandez.

The torrential downpours turned the shops at Dadeland Plaza in Pinecrest into virtual water front properties overnight.

"Ocean view we have here at roasters n' toasters this morning," joked Pedro Rosado at Roasters N' Toasters.

"We were in the middle of a class and the alley flooded up first then it started coming in through the back doors, sadi Mike Esteves at Pinecrest Fitness.  "There are pumps that operate here but they just didn't seem to be able to fight it off fast enough."

Clean up crews scrambled after water flooded nearly every business at the plaza. Most were forced to close Wednesday night.

"It started coming through our restaurant, kitchen, dining room, everywhere," said Rosado.  "We had to shut down."

Some businesses were unable to re-open Thursday morning.

"I have to close a day," said Patrick Feyten with Atelier Monnier French Bakery.  "One day of the month is five percent of a business."

Feyten said living in South Florida, floods just come with the territory.

"Not much we can do about it, that's Miami."