Palm Bay crews rescue residents from flooded neighborhoods after torrential rain

Torrential rainfall swamped streets and neighborhoods across Central Florida, stranding vehicles, washing out roads and sending emergency crews into flooded parts of Brevard County to rescue trapped residents.

Palm Bay saw some of the worst flooding, where officials issued a shelter-in-place advisory covering thousands of residents and urged people to stay off the roads. Brevard County also canceled school for the day as heavy rain overwhelmed drainage systems and pushed water through residential areas.

Residents shared photos and videos of streets turned into rivers and submerged vehicles. One resident, a former Navy SEAL, used a kayak to get around his flooded street. In West Melbourne, water reached the wheel wells of vehicles along U.S. 192, and some cars were nearly completely underwater.

Rescue teams brought evacuated residents to Palm Bay City Hall, which served as a temporary meeting point. Officials said roughly 20 people had been there earlier in the day. One woman told FOX 35 News she feared she might die before police and firefighters reached her neighborhood by boat. Another resident said police officers carried her from her home and placed her onto a rescue boat. A 99-year-old man was also evacuated by boat, despite having previously vowed never to board one.

Police and fire officials said they needed more high-water rescue vehicles to reach people still trapped. Three such vehicles were already operating in the city, and officials requested two more from the state. Crews also deployed boats, including some that had been donated. A nursing home was evaluated for possible evacuation, and its residents were moved to higher floors while conditions were assessed.

The flooding caused problems across Melbourne and other parts of the county as well. At the intersection of Sarno and N. Wickham roads, several vehicles were stranded, including a Porsche pushed by floodwater and a minivan that had to be towed. Along Palm Bay Road and Franklin Drive, floodwaters submerged parking lots and businesses, and many businesses stayed closed because employees could not get to work safely. Port Malabar Boulevard was underwater, and bridges over Turkey Creek were washed out, sending rushing water into nearby neighborhoods. Road crews worked to clear clogged drainage areas.

Homeowners faced their own battles with rising water. A Brevard County resident named Renee said her swimming pool rose about 6 inches from the rain, and she worried it would overflow, resorting to removing water with buckets. Officials warned that draining overflowing pools into streets could worsen existing drainage and flooding problems.

Officials repeatedly warned residents not to drive through flooded streets or walk through moving water, saying disabled vehicles had left drivers stranded and added to the demands on rescue crews. Some drivers said they had only minutes to escape as water surrounded their vehicles. One West Melbourne driver said water splashed onto his vehicle from a truck ahead, blocking his view before his engine shut off; a Palm Bay high-water rescue team pulled him to safety.

Officials also asked residents not to drive to fire stations to report people needing help. Instead, they should call 911 or the appropriate non-emergency line so crews can prioritize requests. Authorities acknowledged some residents might wait for assistance but said staying in a safe location was better than attempting a dangerous evacuation alone.

According to the FOX 35 Storm Team, the heaviest rainfall was weakening by late Monday afternoon and the worst appeared to have passed, though more rain remained possible and flooding was still a concern. Water levels had begun to recede in some areas, including along Palm Bay Road, but emergency crews continued responding to calls and assessing damaged roads. Authorities urged residents to stay cautious, avoid flooded roadways and never drive or walk through floodwater.