Milwaukee area pummeled by record-breaking flash floods that disrupt busy weekend

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Cars submerged under water. Mangled power lines. Sewage overflows. Precious mementos lost forever.
The Milwaukee area was pounded by a powerful series of storms in the overnight hours that created damaging flash floods, and residents were still assessing the aftermath on Aug. 10.
The National Weather Service reported that Waukesha and Milwaukee areas received 7 to 10 inches or more of rain as of 4 a.m. More downpours are expected in the coming days. The NWS called it "life threatening flash flooding."
As of 8:30 Sunday morning, St. Francis reported the highest rain total in Milwaukee County at 10.5 inches.
That amount of rain in a short amount of time overwhelmed the area.
Between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to more than 600 calls for fires, water rescues and other weather-related emergencies. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District reported that 14.35 inches of water rushed into the system at 8135 W. Florist Ave., and the Kinnickinnic and Milwaukee rivers both reached record levels, with the Kinnickinnic measured at 17.19 feet. City streets were engulfed by water that prompted car owners to abandon vehicles.
The weather disrupted a busy summer weekend. Rain pushed through the roof at American Family Field during the Milwaukee Brewers' victory over the New York Mets on Aug. 9 and impassable city streets closed access to some of the stadium's parking lots for the game on Aug. 10.
USA Triathlon was forced to cancel its paratriathlon and sprints national championship, a popular event that draws thousands of competitors along Lake Michigan, due to unsafe water conditions and course damage.
The storms soaked Wisconsin State Fair revelers on Aug. 9, prompting the cancellation of a concert by rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and forcing fair-goers to wade through flooding exits. The State Fair was forced to cancel its final day on Aug. 10.
Even as rains came down on Aug. 9, people at State Fair made the most of the situation. The Wisconsin State FFA Honors Band and Choir, featuring members ages 13 to 21, got a much bigger audience than anticipated at the Youth Exhibit Hall as hundreds sought shelter from the storm.
Monte Dunnum, the band's director, said the bolstered crowd got into the performance.
'I think we were able to raise their spirits in what became a torrential downpour for more than an hour and eventually led to the fair closing early,' Dunnum said. 'FFA band members had a great time and I think the audience had at least a really nice diversion during a weather delay. It was a more entertaining performance than we had even expected.'
Mayor and fire chief talk about city's response
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Fire Department Chief Aaron Lipski held a news conference at 105th and Silver Spring around noon on Aug. 10.
Johnson said that there were no flood-related deaths reported within the city.
Lipski said his department made 65 water rescues. The dive team was split in half to be able to complete more runs, Lipski said. Dozens of people were rescued from in or on top of their cars.
'We've been telling people over and over and over again: Don't drive through the water,' a frustrated Lipski told reporters. 'This is how we have hundreds of vehicles around the city blocking intersections, making progress absolutely impossible.
"We need everybody to help us out here. We can't do everything. We can't be everywhere at once. Don't drive through the floodwaters.'
Flooded basements cause loss of property
The full extent of the flood damage will be sorted out in the days to come as home owners and apartment dwellers deal with flooded basements.
Jacqueline Zeledon lives on the city's northwest side near Glendale. She said three feet of floodwater poured into her basement, all after 2 a.m., and she said four neighbors reported flooding up to their thighs.
"Everyone is waking up and we're all experiencing the same thing: Basement flooding," she said. "All is lost. Our furnace, water heater, deep freezer with food, CD collection, clothes, appliances; all that is downstairs is damaged."
As Zeledon was talking about the damage, she looked out to her street to watch debris float away. Manhole covers had popped off on Silver Spring Drive, and a lost dog didn't know which way to walk.
(Hope Karnopp, Caitlin Looby, Taima Kern and Kelly Meyerhofer contributed to this report.)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee pummeled by flash floods; State Fair, triathlon disrupted
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