Watch CBS News

Broward Still Soaked As Water Management Works To Drain 'Unprecedented' Rain

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

DAVIE (CBSMiami) – In the Davie suburb of Vista Filare Thursday, a pump worked to drain still inundated streets. A stalled out car sat in the middle of an intersection, the day after what's been called the flood of the century for some South Florida communities.

Some who have endured the misery wonder how could this have happened.

"I'm very upset. I've contacted every possible office, and I've just been bounced around, and we haven't really gotten any response as to why this happened," said Jackie Maldonado as she was driving into her still flooded neighborhood, although the water has lowered compared to Wednesday.

The South Florida Water Management District, the folks who run the canals that drain the ditched swamp we live on, says it started opening the floodgates as early as last Saturday.

"Our structures and our pump stations are running at their maximum capacity," said the Water District's John Mitnick.

Municipal crews have been very busy, trying to dry up what for some towns has been a 100 year flood.

"The town has been responding to the resident's concerns. We've been out there 24/7 and will continue responding until the event is over," said Davie Assistant Town Administrator Phillip Holste. "We had 11 or 12 inches of rain that fell within 24 hours, which is unprecedented in our town, so we are responding to a situation that no one has seen before."

Evangeline Cordova has lived in the Western Hills Mobile Home Park in Davie for seven years.

She said she and her husband are stuck in their home because of the water and they've seen the skirting on their home damaged.

She's also worried about the environmental damage from a car that got stuck in a canal across from her home and is submerged.

"They could have towed the car and gotten it out of here but now the car's leaking all kinds of fluids and we're going to suffer for it," she said. "I think they're forgetting about us in west Broward."

The Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise remained closed for a second day, its parking lots still filled with standing but slowly draining water.

A spokesperson for Sunrise said the mall and city have a good drainage system but that "your cup will run over" maybe once in a lifetime.

Some maintained their patience, even as they waited for relief.

"I don't know that I'm angry at anybody," said Randy Manescalchi, a Davie resident. "It would just be nice to get this thing pumped out as soon as possible."

The view from Chopper4 Thursday morning revealed cows wading through a flooded pasture in West Davie.

With the waters ever so slowly receding, the animals managed to find a few moderately dry spots to stand.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.