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Flash floods canceled the last day of the Wisconsin Fair on Sunday as continuing heavy rains in the Midwest state forced drivers to abandon their vehicles, cut power to thousands of households and close busy roads.
Wisconsin Fair organizers said they are discarding the last day of the 11-day event after rain flooded the Westaris fairgrounds just outside Milwaukee.
“We cannot deliver this final day of the Wisconsin Fair, but we know that this is the best decision on current conditions and future forecasts,” the organizers said in a statement.
The National Weather Service issued floods and warnings in parts of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. After rain began on Saturday in some areas, forecasters were predicted to be “a round, repeated heavy rain,” and were hung, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes on Monday.
Among the worst hits were the Milwaukee area, where river flooding in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, by Sunday, there were 12 inches (30 cm) of rainfall in several areas. Some drivers left cars stuck on the road. Approximately 47,000 customers at We Energies have lost power in southeastern Wisconsin. In a village outside Wauwatosa, the overflowing, fast-moving Menomoni River has been submerged into a popular playground.
“Unfortunately, in terms of how all this rain fell, it’s a really bad overlap, but then it fell into such a populated area,” said Andrew Quigley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Firefighters responded to more than 600 calls, including gas leaks, flooded basements, electricity outages and water rescue, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department. Meanwhile, the city crew worked overnight to clean the surface water.
“We’re still in the middle,” Fire Chief Aaron Lipski told reporters Sunday. “We’re still catching up.”
USA Triathlon has cancelled the Sprint and Paratrian National Championship in Milwaukee, where thousands of athletes are expected to take part. Meanwhile, the Brewers vs. Mets game on Sunday afternoon at American Family Field was expected to continue as planned, even if the parking lot remains inaccessible to traffic.
“We cannot guarantee that all fans will be parked, even if they have purchased parking in advance,” Brewers said in a statement.
City officials warned residents not to drive or walk in the ocean they stand.
“It remains dangerous,” the Milwaukee Public Works Department said in a statement.
On Saturday, strong winds caused one death in eastern Nebraska after trees fell on a woman’s car. In Lincoln’s state capital, the storm damaged two housing units at the Nebraska prison and expelled 387 prisoners, the state Department of Corrections said. The agency said all staff and incarcerated individuals were safe and considered.
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