MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Milwaukee area began drying out Monday after weekend rain hit unofficial records in Wisconsin of more than 14 inches (36 centimeters) in less than 24 hours, leading multiple rivers to flood at record-high levels, washing out vehicles, flooding basements and cutting power to thousands of homes.
No fatalities had been reported as of Monday morning from the storms that began Saturday night and stretched into Sunday. Road closures were more isolated Monday as flood warnings continued in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties. About 2,000 homes in the area remained without power as of Monday afternoon.
Residents couldn't believe what they saw as rains pounded the area Saturday night.
Colby McMillan and a friend were driving home around 11 p.m. in Milwaukee when their car stalled out in what McMillian thought was just puddle.
Then the water started coming in under the door.
“As the water was coming in, it was like, ‘What is happening?’” McMillan said Monday. “It was very, very shocking to me. We had to get out of this car and out of the rain. I had never seen anything like this before.”
They escaped and helped others avoid getting stuck like they did. But the car was totaled, McMillan said.
The city of Milwaukee was still assessing the extent of the damage Monday as flood waters were receding, said the city’s public works director, Jerrel Kruschke.
Rob Sieracki lives across the street from a dog park that he said was completely underwater. One car was submerged, something Sieracki didn't realize until he saw a photo the next day.
About two feet (60 centimeters) of water came up the front of his house, built in 1890, resulting in several inches of flooding in his basement. He also lost power for 15 hours.
“Because we’re on a hill, we turned out to be relatively OK," Sieracki said. "Some water did come in, it’s stinky water, we think it’s sewage, but we’ll be OK.”
The flash flooding led to the cancellation of the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis outside of Milwaukee on Sunday, as well as USA Triathlon’s Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee. Thousands of athletes from around the country were expected to participate in that event.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he’s hearing stories of residents across the city, including his own uncle, who had water all the way up to the top of their basement.
“I certainly hope that a storm like this does not visit on the city for at least another millennium,” Johnson said.
The National Weather Service predicted more rain for the area Monday night, but nothing like the prolonged deluge Saturday into Sunday that caused the flash flooding.
“There could be some areas that get some heavy downpours," said Sarah Marquardt, a National Weather Service meteorologist at the Milwaukee/Sullivan office. That could prolong areas with standing water but not result in additional flooding, she said.
The National Weather Service said four rivers in the Milwaukee area hit record-high levels over the weekend. The official two-day rain total at the Milwaukee airport of 6.91 inches (about 17.6 centimeters) was the second-highest on record, Marquardt said. The record was 7.18 inches set in June 2008. The single-day total at the airport on Saturday of 5.74 inches (about 14.6 centimeters) was second only to the record of 6.81 inches set in 1986, Marquardt said.
Unofficial two-day rain totals in the 10- to 12-inch range, with one reading exceeding more than 14 inches (about 35.6 centimeters) in northwestern Milwaukee County, would set record highs for the state once verified over the coming weeks, Marquardt said. The current state record is 11.72 inches (about 29.8 centimeters) set in 1946.
The Kinnickinnic, Milwaukee, Menominee and Root rivers all hit record highs over the weekend, with the Milwaukee River going more than 4-feet over flood level, Marquardt said.
A teenager clinging to a tree branch and standing on a submerged log was rescued by firefighters in an inflatable boat on Sunday afternoon after getting swept away as the Root River flooded a road in Franklin, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Milwaukee. He was rescued unharmed about 100 yards (91 meters) downstream from where he entered, the Franklin Fire Department said.
Firefighters responded to over 600 calls including for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department.
