Fort Lauderdale, Florida – The tropical storm was hitting the South Florida and Florida Keys early Monday with strong winds and heavy rain, the National Hurricane Center said. Many areas were flooded, beaches and coronavirus testing sites were closed, public transport was shut down and some were evacuated.
Eta hit Florida after scores died in Mexico and Central America and more than 100 were missing.
South Florida received more than 14 inches of rain last month.
CBS News weather producer David Parkinson said Monday morning that Eta had created direct moisture burns on Miami-Dade and Broward (counties) in Florida and that about a foot of rain had fallen in recent days and caused significant flooding. “Eta could bring six more inches of rain to the area,” he said.
Miami-Dade Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz warned that “in some areas, the water is not coming out as fast as it used to.”
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he was in constant contact with county water officials about the water ka drain vana conflict, with vehicles stalled, some intersections whitewashed and some homes broken into.
The hurricane left about 18,000 homes and businesses without power in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, according to CBS Miami reports, citing Florida Power and Light.
It had a maximum wind speed of 65 mph on Monday morning and was moving westward towards the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. That key was centered about 80 miles west-west and moved 13 miles west.
On the forecast track, Eta’s center will gradually move away from the Florida Keys and South Florida will be in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico from Monday to Monday night, the hurricane center said.
But Parkinson explained that one of Atana’s bands “just set up shop and is not moving forward.” In addition, he said, “One more round of rain, targeting both Miami and Southwest Florida on Monday night, before it is pulled too far from the Gulf lands to stop the rain in South Florida.”
Eta made a landfill late Sunday evening from Lower Matekumb Key.
CBS Miami said a tractor-trailer truck was stranded next to an expressway due to a rain-soaked road from Eta.
The Florida Highway Patrol said at 5 a.m. that Semina’s driver had lost control. The truck turned right and went over the shoulder, where it rested. Only minor injuries were reported.
On Sunday night, officials in Lauderhill, Florida, responded to reports of a car plunged into a canal. Photographs taken by firefighters at the scene about 30 miles north of Miami showed rescuers searching for high-altitude water near the parking lot.
The firefighters pulled a man out of the car and rushed him to hospital in critical condition, the Ludderhill Fire statement said. The answers continued to search for others.
Assistant Chief La Darhill Fire Chief Jeff Levy told CBS Miami, “A lot of firefighters were able to get into the vehicle, evacuate the victim, start CPR and take him to Broward General Hospital where he regained his pulse.”
CBS In Miami, a tree fell on the roof of a duplex, displacing seven people from two families, CBS Miami reported. No one was injured.
In Keys, officials ordered the evacuation of mobile home parks, campgrounds and RV parks and low-lying areas. Some schools were closed by the districts and said the roads were already flooded and the winds could be too strong for buses to transport students. Opened several shelters in Miami and Keys.
“Please take this hurricane seriously,” urged Bill Johnson, director of emergency management for Palm Beach County. “Please do not drive on flooded roads.”
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