Panthers fans abandon cars as 18 inches of rain floods Sunrise arena lot

Heavy rain turned the parking lots surrounding Amerant Bank Arena into a barrier for Florida Panthers fans on Monday night. Torrential downpours forced several attendees to walk out of the venue in knee-deep water, leaving their vehicles behind in the dark.

Footage from Only In Dade and 7 Drone Force shows multiple cars stranded or stalled in the arena lot and across the street at Sawgrass Mills Mall. Some fans abandoned their cars because they could not determine the water depth in the low light, while others found their engines had died. A tow truck attempting a rescue became stuck in a ditch near the mall.

One man told 7News that his car stalled out and he had to arrange a pickup. He returned to the lot Tuesday morning to retrieve his vehicle with a tow truck. The mall announced on its website that it would open at 2 p.m. Tuesday due to the flooding damage.

Sunrise recorded more than 18 inches of rainfall over the previous 72 hours. Showers are expected to continue across South Florida throughout Tuesday. Mechanics advise motorists with flooded vehicles to have them inspected before starting the engine. Restarting a car with water in the cylinders can destroy the motor.

7News has contacted police and fire rescue departments to determine the scope of their response. The city continues to deal with the aftermath of the heavy precipitation that disrupted the area after the game.