Miami Beach flooding: what you need to know

Many of the streets in Miami Beach are covered in water this evening as 7 inches of rain caused flooding throughout the area. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning Tuesday for central Miami-Dade County, which remains in effect until 7:45 pm. Flood advisories were also issued for Downtown Miami and Coral Gables.

In their weather statement and on Twitter, the National Weather Service has urged people to “Turn around, don’t drown” when encountering flooded roads. The statement goes on, “Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.” The NWS wants people to stay home and avoid trying to cross flooded roadways.

CBS Miami has confirmed flooding at the corners of Alton and 5th and 15th and Pennsylvania, while traffic on I-95 struggles to deal with the stalled cars. There are numerous reports of power outages throughout the city.

Local 10 meteorologist Betty Davis reports that the flooding has been caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Emily and that rain has fallen over a concentrated area of Miami Beach. Combined with this evening’s high tide (5:18 pm), water has been slow to drain.

The National Weather Service in Miami initially began tweeting about the storm around mid-day on Tuesday, and heavy rain inundated the city throughout the afternoon.

Miami International Airport is reporting delays and cancelations due to the weather. Airport officials advise travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

The National Weather Service predicts that rain and flooding will continue over the next two hours before water levels began to recede.

Here are a few images and videos of the flooding: