BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward County declared a Local State of Emergency effective 12:01AM Thursday, April 13, in response to the impacts of yesterday's record-breaking rainfall and flooding. 

Portions of several County facilities, including the main Governmental Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale, experienced flooding to the extent that business operations are affected. County government is open, but some services are not available today. Residents are advised to call before they go. 

Key updates include: 

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is closed Thursday; officials say they are targeting reopening as early as Friday morning. Passengers are reminded to call their airline before going to the airport.
  
  
• Port Everglades is open, but residents are encouraged to call their cruise line before going to the Port.
  
  
• All County libraries are closed on Thursday.
  
  
• Numerous parks are closed or partially closed and residents are encouraged to call prior to going to a park. For a full list, visit Broward.org/Flood.
  
  
• Animal Care has staff on site tending to the animals, but other services are not available today, and appointments have been cancelled.
  
  
• Broward County Transit (BCT) is operating, but there are some service delays across the system. Passengers are being advised to continue to monitor MyRide.Broward app or Broward.org/BCT for information about affected routes and any schedule changes.

The Broward County Emergency Operations Center was partially activated to Level 2 as of 8AM on Thursday, April 13, 2023. As conditions vary across the County, Broward County agencies are continuing to monitor the situation to ensure that they can continue government operations in the safest possible manner. 

In the last few days, Broward County Public Works staff prepared for heavy rains by readying pumps and related flood control equipment. Roadway crews will continue to monitor and respond to roadway conditions. County staff has been working with the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Power & Light and city officials on managing traffic on roadways severely impacted by flooding. This morning, there were nearly 40 traffic signals on flash mode due to water intrusion in the signal boxes. As of 1:30PM today, there are 10. Crews are working to restore full operation at those locations, where it is safe to do so.

Residents and visitors are advised to travel on the roadways only if absolutely necessary, especially since additional rain is expected today. Residents can report flooding at Flooding.Broward.org, including photos, and view flooding reports at Crowdsource.Broward.org. 

If you are stranded in your vehicle, do not call 911. Call your municipal police or fire non-emergency line for the fastest response. 

For other closures and cancellations, and the most up-to-date information, visit Broward.org/Flood.