SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - Water levels across parts of South Florida this week have brought businesses to a halt and left many people confined to their homes.
Pumps were brought to the Sawgrass Mills Mall, Thursday evening, after the flooding forced it to close for two days in a row. Officials announced on Friday morning that the mall would remain closed for a third day.
However, mall officials announced, Friday, that the mall would reopen on Saturday, at 10 a.m.
7SkyForce HD flew over the mall’s parking lot, which looked more like a lake.
Meteorologists said the moisture that has permeated South Florida is refusing to go away, so rainy weather is expected to linger over the weekend.
Radars picked up lines of thunderstorms over the Florida Keys. Meteorologists said the storms, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 55 miles per hour, are moving northwest at about 26 miles per hour.
A Sunrise resident, Mark Nobel, rode his bike to grab early morning groceries and said he was shocked to see Sawgrass Mills’ parking lot with severe flooding. “I’ve lived here four years,” Nobel said. “I’ve never seen this much rain in my life. Never. I mean, it’s crazy.”
Nobel said he had to ride his bike because of the flooding. “I drove the other day. I couldn’t get through,” he said. “I said, ‘This is crazy. My house is fine. There’s no flooding at my house,’ so I decided, ‘I’m gonna ride my bike, and I’m gonna wear my water shoes.'”
At a Burger King around the corner, the water proved to be too much for one woman’s car. She misjudged the depth of the water and ended up stranded. “There is no place for it to go,” she said.
Over in Davie, a man said the flooding, which turned his street into a river, has not been this bad in nearly 20 years. “Town of Davie and Florida Control District has been sitting on their butts and haven’t done a damn thing,” said Dick Postlewaite.
Residents of another Davie neighborhood were left with no choice but to slosh through the water just to get out of their homes.
“Yeah, I mean I don’t know exactly what I’m walking around in, unfortunately,” said Terry Snipes, a resident at Paradise Village. “I need to eat at this point, so there is a store over there, and I’m going to the store.”
Detour signs still block flooded roads in Davie, but the flooding appears to be subsiding. 7News cameras captured three ducks swimming in a flooded street while area residents cleaned up outside their homes.
However, more rain fell Friday afternoon across Fort Lauderdale.
Heavy rains also moved across parts of Miami-Dade County, extending from the beaches all the way west to Krome Avenue, where a thunderstorm with the possibility of some hail battered the area.
In Pompano Beach, heavy rains damaged parts of New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church. “All the robes, choir robes, everything is soaked,” said the Rev. James Smith.
Pastor Smith also showed 7News where heavy rains led to a leak, which partially collapsed the roof and damaged the walls. “This whole wall is just, if you push it, you can probably put your hand right through it,” he said. “That roof, it’s about to come down. We make ends meet, but when things like this happen, a roof is really expensive, and now we have to do something.”
However, the church has no funds to put into repairing the damage, and members are now praying for a miracle.
However, to make matters worse, the church feeds about 30 to 40 kids a day over the summer, so if the repairs remain undone, then they cannot do so.
The reverend said he hopes he’s able to pass inspection for the children’s sake.
Smith is hopeful that the rain will let up in order to prevent further damage to the building. “I’m praying that somebody will help, you know?” he said.
At American Heritage School in Plantation, it’s a good thing school’s out for summer because the campus’ football, baseball and track fields are all underwater.
Over in Plantation Acres, 7SkyForce HD flew over a barn, where six horses had to be moved from their now uninhabitable home.
“I would say at the lowest point, a foot, but the highest about four feet,” said Dana Doty of the water depth in her barn.
In Weston, a viewer sent in a picture of a gator on the street, but it’s what you can’t see that is a real cause for concern, according to health officials.
“The longer the water stays standing, the more dangerous it becomes,” said Dr. Bo Rosenblatt of Memorial Hospital Pembroke.
Health experts warned the public about going into the standing rain water. It may look like a great place for fishing, but officials said you may catch something you don’t want.
“We have all kind of bacteria, viruses, parasites in there,” said Dr. Rosenblatt. “You have to assume any standing water is sewage or mixed with some degree of sewage.”
Adding to the drama, the standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying diseases like Zika.
Broward County sprayed larvicide in parts of Hollywood Thursday night and will hit Fort Lauderdale, Lauderhill and Sunrise Friday.
The mosquito spraying in Broward County happened Friday morning and will resume at 10 p.m.
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