Heavy rain floods roads, strands drivers and damages homes across Brevard County
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BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Heavy rain has caused major flooding across Brevard County, leaving streets inundated, vehicles stranded and some homes flooded as Palm Bay officials urged people to shelter in place.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Heavy rain has caused major flooding across Brevard County, leaving streets inundated, vehicles stranded and some homes flooded as Palm Bay officials urged people to shelter in place.
Palm Bay ordered residents to stay home while rescue crews responded to flooding across the area. Palm Bay Fire Rescue had all three of its high-water rescue trucks working to rescue stranded motorists, according to the agency.
Flooding was reported at the intersection of Palm Bay Road and Hollywood Boulevard in West Melbourne, where several vehicles became stranded after drivers tried to pass through high water.
Police said several homes have flooded along the Hollywood Boulevard corridor. The I-95 on-ramp from Palm Bay Road was flooded and impassable, and flooding was also reported at the next exit, State Road 192 in West Melbourne, where more vehicles were stranded.
Some longtime residents described the rainfall and flooding as unlike anything they had seen.
Palm Bay resident Jesse Litnelli spent the day with their daughter Grace after school was canceled.
“If the water goes halfway up the tire, you’re in trouble,” Litnelli said while looking at a stranded vehicle.
In Melbourne, video from inside the Coleman family’s house showed water in the first room and garage. The family spent the morning trying to keep water from the front and backyards from getting inside.
“It floods like this all the time, even like slight rain storms and stuff, like our garage is completely flooded,” a member of the Coleman family said. “My back room, we just spent like $5,000 to get it redone, so it wouldn’t flood in there anymore, and it’s flooded right now.”
The Coleman family said they have reached out to the county for answers about why their property floods.
While some roads have seen water levels recede compared with earlier in the day, Brevard County officials continued to urge residents not to leave home unless they absolutely need to or are under evacuation orders.
Residents looking for refuge can head to a shelter opened up by the Red Cross in Cocoa, located at the Parker Memorial Missionary Baptist Church.