Torrential rain and severe flooding around the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise left several Florida Panthers fans stranded in the arena parking lot after Monday night’s game, according to WSVN’s 7News. Cameras captured vehicles that were either stalled or abandoned in the water.
Video posted by Only In Dade showed fans walking out of the arena through knee-deep water as rain fell. Some drivers left their cars because it was too dark to judge how deep the water was. Others could not get their vehicles out. One man was picked up after his car stalled, and he returned Tuesday morning with a tow truck to retrieve it.
Across the street, drone footage showed many stranded cars at Sawgrass Mills Mall. A tow truck was seen stuck in a ditch after trying to rescue a car. The mall said on its website it would open at 2 p.m. Tuesday because of the flooding.
Sunrise has received more than 18 inches of rain over the past 72 hours, and showers are expected to continue across South Florida on Tuesday. Drivers whose cars were flooded should have a mechanic inspect them before restarting the engine, since starting a vehicle with water in the cylinders can destroy the motor. 7News said it had contacted police and fire rescue about their response.
