Miami International Airport, Miami Beach Both Reopening Today

For Miami residents, life is far from back to normal after Hurricane Irma. There's no power — and probably won't be for days or even weeks. Cell service is spotty. Canned beans have become an every-meal staple.

But a few parts of Dade County are getting back to business. Miami International Airport is reopening "on a limited basis" today and some of the tens of thousands of locals who fled the storm are likely to be flying back in on the first flights.

And after an angst-filled Monday of choked causeways and angry locals, Miami Beach is finally letting residents return today.  

MIA shut down completely in the leadup to Irma, and the international hub took serious damage from the storm. Wind gusts approaching 100 mph were reported at the airport, and torrential rain and floodwaters damaged some concourses. (However, that viral video of airplanes rolling through rising waters was absolutely fake, even if Donald Trump's social media director is too dumb to realize it.)

@iflymia endured #HurricaneIrma gusts of nearly 100 mph. Sustained significant water damage throughout. @FAANews @FlyTPA @MCO @FLLFlyer

— Emilio T Gonzalez (@emiliotgonzalez) September 10, 2017

Airport crews have cleaned up the damage enough that parts of the airport can reopen today, though. "Given that many airlines are not operating their full schedules, passengers should contact their airline directly to confirm flight status before coming to the airport," MIA warns on Twitter.

Miami Beach, meanwhile, issued mandatory evacuation orders last week, and many of the island's 90,000 residents took heed and fled across Biscayne Bay. When many of them tried to return yesterday, they were met by police officers blocking the causeways. City officials said too many trees and power lines were down around the barrier island to allow anyone back in.

As traffic chaos piled up on the bridge, angry drivers screamed at police. Some business owners lashed out at the city over its extended curfew and questioned whether it would hurt efforts to evacuate in the future.

After initially saying cars would be banned from returning until noon today, the city reopened the causeways at 7 a.m.

Miami Beach Cswys are now open to everyone. Expect delays and use caution. Welcome home!

— City of Miami Beach (@MiamiBeachNews) September 12, 2017

Videos from the Beach show heavy congestion, though, as tens of thousands try to return home from wherever they sheltered during the storm.

MIAMI BEACH NOW OPEN TO RESIDENTS!! @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/ovZjCM3gzX

— Darryl Forges (@DarrylNBC6) September 12, 2017

Many other parts of Miami life are going to take much longer to return to normal. As of yesterday, 1.8 million homes and businesses in South Florida had no power. By this morning, 5 million homes statewide are still dark; armies of FPL crews are working to restore access, but they warn it could take weeks.

Both Miami-Dade and Broward's school systems are indefinitely closed as officials assess damage and wait for power; one Miami-Dade school member says schools are "unlikely" to reopen this week.