PLANTATION, FLA. (WSVN) - Streets and yards in Broward County have been saturated from the relentless rain that turned roads into rivers, forced motorists to become immovable and caused a South Florida mall to close for the day.
The rain persisted Wednesday and 7News crews saw several people use rafts as a way to get around.
At American Heritage School, the baseball diamond and football field could be seen underwater.
In Sunrise, residents said the water caused driving trouble.
“I got stalled in the water last night,” said one man. “It was very deep right there and further back, the water wasn’t that deep but here it’s much deeper so I ran into it and got stalled out.”
Residents who live in Plantation Acres, a neighborhood just east of Sawgrass Mills Mall, said the high water is causing a big concern. The water’s depth is hard to navigate and they also said there is a canal nearby, so those unfamiliar with the area could have serious problems.
Coral Springs also had a lot of flooding, as well as high water at Sawgrass Mills Mall.
Sunrise Police announced that the Sawgrass Mills Mall had to completely shut down Wednesday due to the flooding.
According to a tweet sent by Sunrise Police, just after 8:40 a.m., the Sawgrass Mills Mall would not open after the mall’s parking lots became inundated with rain water.
Be advised that the Sawgrass Mills Mall is CLOSED today due to flooding. Please use extreme caution when driving through flooded areas.
— Sunrise Police FL (@SunrisePoliceFL) June 7, 2017
Several cars were submerged in the waters at the mall parking lot, leaving motorists stranded, and the on-and-off rain created rivers in the roadway.
“I came here just to shop,” said Briana White, “so I’m driving in the parking lot, I see this one car over there. It’s getting drowned, so I try to back my car out to turn, so I wouldn’t get in that predicament, so as soon, as I cut my wheel I guess they have a ditch in the parking lot, and my car went straight in there like I couldn’t back my car up or nothing. It got stuck. I had water all the way up to my waistline.”
Mall employees like Natalie Knight were forced to turn around and go home for the day. “It’s really a mess,” she said.
Some drivers stuck in the flooding got help from a stranger.
“We all need help every now and then,” said Anthony Rodriguez. “There’s nothing wrong with helping each other out. I mean, it just makes for a better community for everybody, I think, if we all lend a helping hand.”
7News spoke with a tow truck driver who said he alone towed over 20 cars from the mall between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
White said she began to fear for her safety and the safety of her car as she saw the waters creep up on her vehicle.
“I felt like I was swimming out of here,” she said. “I was scared. It was like a nightmare. It was crazy. It was thundering. It was lightning.”
White said she hopes to contact the leadership at Sawgrass in hopes of having them reimburse her for her damaged belongings.
Residents aren’t the only ones seeking shelter from the storm. 7News viewers snapped a picture of a snake and another of an alligator in the road.
On the roadways, officials may have put up some caution signs and it is advised to actually pay attention to them and not go around them.
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