Over 900 flights delayed at airport as rain batters Midwest

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

More than 900 flights were delayed and nearly 14 million Americans remained under flood alerts Sunday night, as damaging storms continued to batter the Midwest.
A total of 21 flights were canceled in addition to the more than 900 flights delayed at Denver International Airport on Sunday. Southwest Airlines experienced 339 delays, United Airlines was at 244 delays, and SkyWest saw 157 delays, according to Flight Aware.
Forecasters now warn residents from Kansas through Wisconsin may see 'repeated rounds of heavy rain,' along with hail, damaging winds, and even isolated tornadoes overnight. This warning comes after at least 24 storms pounded the Upper Midwest on Saturday, with wind gusts of 80 to 90 mph reported in Omaha, Nebraska, and up to a foot of rain reported in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to NBC News.
Distressing videos shared online showed high water levels in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin overtaking a bridge meant to span across the Menomonee River, with debris from the area piling up on the road. Water was also seen rushing past houses as fast-moving streams raced down residential streets, leaving at least one man stranded sitting on the hood of a car as the water passed him. Residents near the Menomonee River were trapped inside their homes in the early hours of Sunday morning after severe flooding swamped the area.
By Sunday, firefighters in Milwaukee said they responded to more than 600 calls for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages, and water rescues. 'We're still in the middle of it,' Fire Chief Aaron Lipski told reporters. 'We're still catching up right now.' As of 6:30 p.m. EST, nearly 31,700 Wisconsinites remained without power, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages across the country.
The deluge ultimately forced the Wisconsin State Fair to cancel its final day of festivities after already scrapping their main stage performance, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Saturday night. TMJ4 shared footage of vehicles trapped in floodwaters at the fair. 'We understand the disappointment you may feel as our team works all year for these 11 days,' organizers said in a statement. 'However, the safety of our fairgoers, team, partners, and vendors will always be our top priority.'
USA Triathlon also canceled its Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee on Sunday, where thousands of athletes were expected to participate. Yet a Sunday afternoon Milwaukee Brewers game against the New York Mets at American Family Field was expected to continue as scheduled, though the baseball team warned 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 as additional rounds of thunderstorms moved across Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Flood warnings will remain in effect through Monday from Kansas through Wisconsin, with forecasters warning there could be another one to six inches of rain possible overnight. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley declared a state of emergency, saying his top priority is the safety of residents. 'We're going to need, possibly, some federal assistance,' he said, adding that Gov. Tony Evers will also declare a state of emergency to secure federal aid. City officials urged residents to avoid driving or walking in standing water. The NWS warned: 'Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.'