Florida's historic deluge: up to 24.1 inches of rain, flash flooding and rescues — on US election day
A historic deluge has flooded eastern Central Florida: between one and two feet of rain fell as November arrived, triggering catastrophic flash flooding, emergency rescues and the relocation of voting precincts in more than half a dozen counties on US election day. The National Weather Service reported 24.1 inches of rain in Malabar, in Brevard County, over 36 hours, and Melbourne's 11.03 inches by 5pm on 2 November broke that station's all-time daily rainfall record; for some locations the weather service called the rainfall a one-in-1,000-year event. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers completed more than 60 rescues in Palm Bay and Melbourne, and Brevard County emergency management says sheriff's deputies helped more than 100 people caught in rising water. Governor Ron DeSantis declared states of emergency in seven counties: Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie. Schools closed on 2 and 3 November. No death toll had been established in the reporting read — one Florida Today report speaks of at least one death, which this page carries in its don't-know list rather than as a toll.