Flooding inundates Midwest as severe storms cut power, close roads and kill at least 1

CBS News

a day ago

Flash flooding has inundated parts of the Midwest as heavy rainfall in half a dozen states knocked out power to thousands, forced road closures and killed at least one person over the weekend, officials said.
A person was killed in eastern Nebraska and another person was seriously injured when a tree fell on a vehicle they were in during a storm on Saturday, according to the Waterloo Volunteer Fire Department in Nebraska. The storm system produced wind gusts of up to 90 miles per hour in several Nebraskan counties, the National Weather Service said.
The National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings for parts of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. After rainfall began on Saturday in some areas, forecasters predicted "repeated rounds of heavy rain," along with hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes into Monday.
Among the worst hit was the Milwaukee area, where up to 14 inches of rain had fallen in some areas by Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, which also noted river flooding in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Some motorists left their stranded cars on roads. Nearly 18,000 customers of We Energies in southeast Wisconsin were without power late Sunday. In the suburban village of Wauwatosa, an overflowing and fast-moving Menomonee River submerged a popular playground.
"Really unfortunately, it's just a really bad overlap of circumstances in terms of how all this rain fell but then fell over such a populated area," said Andrew Quigley, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
Milwaukee firefighters performed 65 water rescues by midday Sunday, with most involving people who became stranded in their vehicle amid the flooding, CBS News affiliate WDJT reported, citing Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski.
Firefighters responded to over 600 calls including for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said a news briefing that emergency crews had worked overnight Saturday into Sunday to respond to gas leaks, downed wires and transformer explosions, according to WDJT.
Meanwhile, crews worked to clear surface water, and the Red Cross opened two shelters in the city for displaced residents.
"We're still in the middle of it," Lipski, the fire chief, told reporters on Sunday. "We're still catching up right now."
Just outside of Milwaukee, organizers of the Wisconsin State Fair canceled the final day of the 11-day event on Sunday after rain flooded the fairgrounds in nearby West Allis.
"We are saddened we cannot deliver this final day of the Wisconsin State Fair, but know that this is the best decision with current conditions and the forecast ahead," organizers said in a statement.
USA Triathlon canceled its Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee, where thousands of athletes were expected to participate. The Brewers and Mets played at American Family Field even as the parking lot remained inaccessible to traffic.
"We will not be able to guarantee parking for all fans, even those who purchased parking in advance," the Brewers said in a statement before the game.
City officials warned residents to avoid driving or walking in the standing waters.
"It remains dangerous," the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works said in a statement, asking for patience as the city's response to the flooding continued.