King tide flooding knocked out elevators and electrical systems at two South Beach condominium buildings, leaving residents stranded in their apartments for days and causing extensive damage to underground garages.

87-year-old Bobby Duke unable to leave his South Beach apartment for more than a week after saltwater disabled both elevators at Lincoln Bay Towers on Sept. 27.

His wife, Nancy Duke, president of the Lincoln Bay Towers Association, told the Miami Herald that neighbors bought groceries for residents who could not use the stairs.

Repair workers restored one elevator at the 10-story building late Monday afternoon, Oct. 5. The second remained out of service, and residents faced another round of king tides expected to peak Saturday, Oct. 10.

Saltwater damages elevators and leaves elderly residents stranded

The Sept. 27 flooding submerged Lincoln Bay Towers' parking lot, garage, pump station, lower lobby and elevator pits, according to the Herald.

The building's elevators automatically rise to the 10th floor when sensors detect water, locking in place until contractors can clear the flooded pits below. The safety system prevented the elevators from operating in dangerous conditions but left residents unable to use the stairs confined to their apartments.

Workers removed a 200-pound piece of equipment damaged by saltwater and sand during repairs Oct. 5.

Stephen Gill, founder of Flood Risk America, told the Herald that flood-damaged elevators can cost $250,000 or more to repair because saltwater corrodes cables and other components.

Nancy Duke described the flooding as the worst the building had experienced in a decade, surpassing the damage it sustained during Hurricane Irma in 2017. Although regional water levels remained below Irma's peak, the combination of unusually high tides and heavy rainfall overwhelmed the building's lower levels.

The elevator failures also complicated an emergency response.

On Sunday night, Oct. 4, Miami Beach Fire Rescue responded to a call involving a knee injury at the building. Responders arrived with a stretcher but learned that neither elevator was working.

"Somebody hollered, one of the guys from his terrace, that there's no elevators," Duke told the Herald.

Miami Beach spokesperson Melissa Berthier said the caller later indicated they were fine. No one was transported to a hospital.

Neighboring condominium loses power as floodwater fills garage

Across the street, Sunshine Bay Condominiums experienced similar damage when floodwater poured into its underground garage Sept. 27, disabling both elevators and cutting electricity to the four-story building.

Longtime resident Valerie Navarrete told the Herald she stood in the courtyard shouting warnings for neighbors to move their vehicles before the water rose.

Residents managed to save most of their vehicles, but one car, two Vespas and a motorcycle were lost. Navarrete said she had lost her own car to flooding at the property six years earlier.

Electricity returned to most Sunshine Bay units within several days. As of Oct. 5, however, at least one unit and the building's common areas still needed repairs and city permit approval before power could be restored. Both elevators also remained out of service.

The power outage created another problem: The building's underground garage relies on an electrically powered stormwater pump to remove water during flooding. Without electricity, several feet of water accumulated in the garage.

Residents pooled money to purchase a temporary pump and took turns operating it to help dry out the garage.

The flooding also drew attention from CBS News Miami, which reported that residents experienced prolonged outages and raised concerns about the buildings' vulnerability to recurring tidal flooding.

More king tides threaten buildings as $100 million drainage project continues

Both condominium associations were preparing to use sandbags ahead of another period of unusually high tides, which began Wednesday, Oct. 7, and continues through Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Miami-Dade County's king tide schedule identifies Oct. 7-13 as one of the fall's peak tide periods. Additional king tides are expected Oct. 24-30.

The city has urged residents to avoid walking or driving through floodwaters, which can conceal debris, pollutants and other hazards.

A longer-term effort to reduce neighborhood flooding is underway through the West Avenue Neighborhood Improvement Project.

The city's website lists a $100,229,771 budget for the project's second phase, which includes stormwater drainage improvements, water and sewer infrastructure upgrades and road elevation work.

The improvements are intended to reduce flooding in the low-lying West Avenue neighborhood, although they do not guarantee protection for private underground garages or elevator systems.

A city walkthrough scheduled for Oct. 1 was canceled because of weather. The city has scheduled two opportunities for residents to learn more about the project:

  • Thursday, Oct. 15, at 11 a.m.: Virtual community meeting with Miami Beach Commissioner Alex J. Fernandez to discuss construction progress and upcoming work.
  • Thursday, Oct. 29, at 11 a.m.: On-site walkthrough at the corner of Lincoln Road and Alton Road.

The meetings come as residents of the two condominium buildings continue dealing with the consequences of September's flooding and prepare for another round of unusually high tides.