South Florida faces fuel supply issues after devastating storm

Some parts of South Florida were dealing with major gas supply issues after a storm last week brought torrential rain and flooding to the region, causing fuel delivery delays.

A staggering 57% of all gas stations in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area were out of fuel as of Tuesday morning, along with another 21% of gas stations in West Palm Beach, according to fuel tracker GasBuddy.com.

Lamar P. Fisher, mayor of Broward County — which includes Fort Lauderdale — said in a statement Monday that “the loading and delivering of petroleum products” was “disrupted on April 12 during the unprecedented storm that flooded greater Fort Lauderdale.”

Fisher said that, as of Monday, three fuel tankers were in port at Port Everglades, and another five were “offshore waiting to unload.”

“Fuel supply arriving at Port Everglades remains sufficient and deliveries to the consumers are anticipated to increase at a regular pace over the next few days,” Fisher said.

He also called on drivers not to panic buy.

“There is no need to panic or rush to the pumps,” Fisher said.  

Many residents were left scouring the region for gas, and on Tuesday, there were long lines of cars waiting to fill up at those stations which did have fuel.  

“You know, it’s really crazy, the anxiety it gives,” driver Eduardo Travieso told CBS Miami. “Like, last night, I was driving all over the place. Like, I work this morning, I’m supposed to be at work already.”

Last week’s storm brough more than two feet of rain to part of Fort Lauderdale, with the ensuing flooding leaving many residents stranded in their homes. It forced the closure of Broward County Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the nation, and also shuttered Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for about two days.