Eight Inches of Rain Floods Broward Streets and Traps Commuters

Roughly eight inches of rain fell across parts of Broward County on Tuesday, leaving vehicles stranded and flooding residential streets. The downpour created standing water that reached nearly knee height in several locations, forcing drivers to abandon their cars and forcing residents to navigate through deep pools of water.

At the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, the water was bad enough that Sunrise police closed some of the mall's entrances on Tuesday morning. Aerial footage from Drone 4 showed cars sitting in the parking lots, surrounded by standing water. Outside Amerant Bank Arena, the home of the Florida Panthers, fans faced similar conditions. Many had just finished watching a game against the Detroit Red Wings when the rain intensified. Some fans had to leave their vehicles behind in the floodwaters.

In the Plantation Acres neighborhood, dozens of blocks were under water by Tuesday morning. As CBS News Miami drove through the area, the water covered the roads completely. Most drivers moved slowly or pulled over, while others took a different route on horseback. Kathleen Fanjul, a resident of Plantation Acres, had to leave for work at 7 a.m. She noted that the water level was above the bottom of her car door. Neighbors and police helped watch over her vehicle while she was at work.

Fanjul described the situation as a biblical flood. She said she could hear the pumps running all over the place and believed the city was doing its best. Michelle White, another resident, urged drivers to stay out of the water. She called the conditions crazy and dangerous. White told people to be careful and avoid driving directly through the flooded roads.

Vandral Meyers, a limousine driver, warned that the water could cause serious damage to the underside of vehicles. He suggested that drivers stay away from the flooded areas to avoid costly repairs. The water level remained high enough to submerge the lower parts of many cars, creating a risk for engines and electrical systems.

More showers are expected on Tuesday afternoon. Forecasters said the rain would not be as widespread as the morning downpour, but residents are bracing for additional flooding. It will not take much rain to cause new problems in the already saturated ground.