When a neighborhood floods after just minutes of heavy rain, the biggest question is how long residents are expected to live with the damage while they wait for a solution. In one part of Fort Lauderdale, that answer could be years.
“Five minutes of heavy rain and it immediately floods,” resident Areeb Naseer said.
Here’s what to know
Residents told CBS News Miami that during downpours in Fort Lauderdale’s Victoria Park neighborhood, water has been surging up through storm drains rather than draining away. After heavy rain, parts of the area remained underwater for hours, and some neighbors said certain roads can stay submerged for days.
After nearly a decade on Northeast Eighth Avenue, Naseer said the standing water is no longer just a roadway problem. “Because there’s so much standing water, our driveway has sunken in a little bit as well,” he said.
Relief is tied to a major stormwater improvement effort already underway in Victoria Park. The project includes 43,000 feet of stormwater piping, 360 drainage structures, and a new pump station. Construction began in January and is not expected to be completed until early 2028.
For neighbor Jennifer Duncan, that timeline is too long. “There’s got to be something on an acute basis to mitigate some of this damage. I mean, it might not be the permanent fix, but there has to be something that has to be done. You can’t live, you know, a year and a half with this.”
More background
City officials said higher-than-normal king tides made the flooding worse, according to a spokesperson for the City of Fort Lauderdale who spoke to CBS News Miami. The National Weather Service also reported that Fort Lauderdale had its wettest September on record.
Flooding concerns are also being felt nearby. In Hollywood’s Southlake area, homeowner Benny Ergas said water rose halfway up his driveway, and he said even an SUV tire can send enough water toward his garage to create a threat.
What’s being done?
Even as the larger construction project continues, the City of Fort Lauderdale says it is exploring shorter-term ways to reduce the impact. A spokesperson for the City of Fort Lauderdale said staff members are identifying additional resources for known flooding hot spots, including Victoria Park.
Residents, meanwhile, are asking for practical measures that can reduce harm before the full project is finished. Duncan said waiting years for relief is not realistic for people already dealing with repeated flooding around their homes.
To try to limit the damage from passing traffic, Ergas placed a large sign outside his home reading “Wake zone, please slow down,” hoping drivers would avoid sending water surging into garages and driveways.
Naseer summed it up this way, “This is definitely not sustainable, not suitable for this neighborhood; it really makes things difficult.”
Where can I learn more?
Similar flooding problems are playing out elsewhere across the United States, with broader consequences for homeowners. These stories cover flash-flood threats, flood protection steps, storm recovery, repetitive-loss homes, and building in flood-prone areas.
• A Florida executive says flood prevention and protection starts before hurricane-season water reaches homes.
• Across the U.S., homes have flooded over and over, exposing deep insurance gaps.
• In North Carolina, homes in flood-prone areas keep leaving residents trapped by rising water.
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