Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in Broward County, which enduredrecord-breaking rainfall that caused extreme flooding.
The state of emergency allows for the support of Florida resources to assist with the severe flooding.
DeSantis designated the Florida Division of Emergency Management to collect damage assessments in Broward County.
The Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are also providing assistance.
Broward County schools were closed Thursday, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was closed until at least Friday morning.
Officials are hoping to reopen the airport Friday. Schools, however, will remain closed Friday.
Some areas of Broward County near the airport received 3 inches of rain an hour for a prolonged period Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, and the area had additional rain on Thursday. Officials reported conducting additional water rescues.
As of Thursday night, 600 people were staying in area shelters.
This article was written by Scott Sutton for Scripps News West Palm Beach.
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