BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) — A night of torrential rain turned Boca Raton’s streets into rivers, leaving behind stranded vehicles, clogged storm drains, and a city scrambling to recover before the next wave of storms hits.
According to CBS12 Stormtrac Meteorologists, significant rainfall fell in a short period, with parts of southern Palm Beach County receiving between 5 to 7 inches, and isolated areas seeing even higher amounts — all within just a few hours Sunday night. The deluge shattered daily rainfall records for October 26 in nearby cities: West Palm Beach recorded 2.37 inches, and Vero Beach saw 3.77 inches, both setting new highs.
The City of Boca Raton said its crews worked through Sunday night and into Monday morning to assess the damage from what officials are calling an “unprecedented weather event.”
Videos taken by CBS12 viewers show The Boca Raton’s lobby and streets in East Boca flooded.
Many residents in the area tell CBS12 News while flooding itself isn’t uncommon, what happened last night was a whole different story.
“The rain last night was just sooooo heavy and the storm was so scary, it’s mother nature,” said Geri Bell, a Boca Raton resident.
Mother Nature rained down On Boca Raton Sunday night, leaving a mess for residents to wake up to.
“We showed up this morning and the pit back there had about five inches deep worth of water. Spent all day emptying that out. We had water under the boxes, all the way up to the bathroom,” said Jordan Noel, a technician at Autobahn Auto Center. “I’ve never seen it flood like that in here before.”
On North Federal Highway, cars could be seen stranded in the flood water overnight.
“There must have been five or ten cars right in this little area that got stranded,” said Bell.
It’s an issue all too common here.
Bell says the first floor flooded in her apartment complex along North Federal Highway.
“Last night, the rain kept on going and going and going that the flood was coming into the property here and down the driveway,” said Bell.
It’s an issue residents say is only getting worse with each storm.
“It’d be nice if the city took care of this little intersection here, elevate it somehow, fix the drainage because it is a chronic issue in this particular section,” said Bell.
City of Boca Raton officials say because they invests so much into infrastructure, water levels receded significantly by Monday morning, and major roadways were cleared relatively fast.
While most floodwaters have receded, the City said some areas remain waterlogged, and cleanup efforts are underway. Boca Raton Police removed multiple abandoned vehicles from roadways, with towing services stretched thin. Priority Towing at (561-368-4466) handled recoveries until midnight, after which Guardian Towing (561-395-9595) took over. Due to backlog and differing vehicle logs, residents may need to contact both companies to locate their cars.
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Street sweepers and emergency crews are clearing debris from roads and storm drains, and city staff will continue responding to calls throughout the day.
With more rain and thunderstorms expected this afternoon, residents are urged to take precautions:
- Avoid driving through flooded areas. If you see water on the road, turn around. Don’t risk it—turn around, don’t drown.
- Watch for stalled vehicles and localized flooding. Report clogged storm drains to 561-416-3402.
- If your vehicle becomes stranded, call Boca Raton PD’s non-emergency line: 561-368-6201.
City officials continue to monitor conditions and will provide updates as the situation evolves.
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