Operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were slowly returning to normal Saturday, nearly three days after severe storms brought historic flooding that grounded flights and stranded travelers.
On Saturday, the airport is expected to resume limited arrival and departure aircraft operations on the North Runway at noon, airport officials said.
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WATCH HEREThe airport opened around 9 a.m. Friday, with long lines of travelers seen checking in for flights which hadn't been leaving or arriving since the airport stopped operations Wednesday afternoon.
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As operations slowly came back to normal, officials said there were more than 200 flight cancellations as of Friday afternoon.
Tempers flared at one point at a check-in counter was weary travelers tried to get on some of the first planes departing. But other travelers said it was important to remain calm.
"I’m okay, I’m here. I’m gonna be calm. I’m gonna have my cup of coffee and I’m very excited to go home," one traveler said.
Officials had previously hoped to reopen by 5 a.m. Friday but were skeptical because the north runway and taxiways were still submerged with floodwaters. Some of the water had receded, but more rain came Thursday afternoon, so the reopening was pushed back to accommodate final inspections to determine the safety of the airfields.
Officials said Thursday that the runway on the south side was dry and in good condition, but taxiways were still blocked by water.
The airport had halted operations Wednesday afternoon as the wet weather was starting to inundate the area.
o 11 nonstop," he said. "Like absolutely insane."
Preliminary figures from the National Weather Service in Miami showed 25.91 inches of rain fell at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, shattering the old record of 14.59 inches set in 1979.
