What started as an exciting final day of Wisconsin’s revered State Fair quickly became quite a display of nature’s devastation. Flash flooding caused by heavy rain throughout six Midwestern states—including Wisconsin—completely inundated the fairgrounds in West Allis, extinguishing hopes for a celebratory Sunday. Rain fall amounts in some areas around Milwaukee were alarming—near 10 inches (25 cm) in short periods of time—prompting officials to act swiftly.
Safety First: Shutdown and Emergency Response
Fair officials, committed to public safety, announced the end their 11-day event. They regretted the premature end and stated that when conditions deteriorated further, safety had to come first.
As for Milwaukee, emergency crews were inundated almost immediately: firefighters reported more than 600 emergencies, including water rescues, electrical incidents, and gas leaks, and commercial crews raced to pump surface water and clear major streets. The storm impacted other areas aside from Wisconsin: a downed tree in Nebraska killed a woman, and the Nebraska state penitentiary in Lincoln was so badly damaged that nearly 400 inmates had to be temporarily moved (thankfully, they were all accounted for).
Electrical outages left nearly 47,000 customers without power, and the USA Triathlon Sprint and Paratriathlon Nationals were cancelled.
The Aftermath: Warnings, Refunds, and Uncertainty
The National Weather Service had flash flood warnings issued for the area and continued to track additional rain, hail, and isolated tornadoes. Officials advised residents to stay out of flooded areas and remain vigilant, emphasizing that the situation was potentially life threatening. click here for the source
