Floodings are causing trouble for residents across the entire Florida coast this week. Strong winds and street floods are making life unbearable for millions in the Not-so-Sunshine-State-anymore.
Thirteen Streets in Daytona beach are flooded today. And residents are adamant about continuing their life as usual.
Videos and images of cars cruising down the, what are now more canals than streets, can be seen here, here, here, and here.
If you look closley --or if you live in flooded areas-- you may notice that not only streets are overflowing with excess water, but also backyards, parks, and most public spaces.
In Flagler beach, strong winds are knocking power lines and trees, creating life-threatening situations for many inside and outside their homes.
Police warn all drivers to avoid driving on roads with an unknown depth. Your vehicle can stall out and possibly break down, causing further complications.
Over the years, Florida's flooding has become more frequent. With this intensity, the whole state has to rethink its infrastructure. Street pumps that you may see in Miami and other cities are not sufficient to fend off frequent tides.
High-tide floods cost local businesses around $172,000 a year, according to a Journal Science Advances study.
"You can literally kayak from the bay right into this parking lot," said NOAA oceanographer William Sweet last September. The situation has only got worse in the meantime.
So, what is Florida's government doing to combat climate change?
It's hard to say. Florida leaders are not happy with addressing the issue. Some blame it on 'climate panic,' while others police speech around the issue.
"In Florida, controversy arose when the state-level government mandated that the term "nuisance flooding" and other terms be used in place of terms such as sea-level rise, climate change, and global warming, prompting allegations of climate change denial, specifically against Governor Rick Scott," according to Wikipedia article.
The ban is an unwritten code of conduct for Florida leadership in some places, according to an investigation done by Florida Center for Investigative Reporting.
Miami Beach and other places in Florida with low elevations are at the constant mercy of rising sea levels. However, some businesses are recognizing the danger and working to install water pumps across South Florida cities.
Are you worried about climate change and rising sea levels?
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