Flash flooding hits southeast Wisconsin; state of emergency declared for Milwaukee Co.

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Severe weather and heavy rain has caused flooding throughout southeast Wisconsin. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley on Sunday, Aug. 10, declared a state of emergency across the county. 

"This allows us to tap into other state resources, as well as federal resources, related to FEMA or anything else that we may be able to go after," Crowley said.

Ryan Zollicoffer, the director of the Milwaukee Office of Emergency Management, added state investigators were "going to send out an incident management team, they're going to do a preliminary assessment of the conditions associated with the financial cost."

The cost and scope of the damage will determine how much state and or federal funding could be available.

But there's no timetable yet for when that will happen, so for now, the response falls to local agencies.

Many reports of flooding started coming in around 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. 

Anyone in an impacted area is advised not to travel unless fleeing a flooded area or following evacuation orders. 

As of 12:30 p.m. Sunday, We Energies reported more than 17,000 customers were without power in the city of Milwaukee alone -- and 21,000-plus for the county. 

Track the We Energies Outage Map HERE

Mayor Cavalier Johnson held a media conference around noon for an update about the flooding and the city's response. 

He said in many areas there was "More than a foot of rain in a very short period of time."

Emergency crews were taxed throughout the night responding to emergencies like gas leaks, downed wires, and transformer explosions.

The fire department, alone, took 614 separate assignments.

Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said, "We actually split our dive team in half last night so that we could just hit more runs."

MFD performed 65 water rescues, most of them for people stranded in their cars. Chief Lipski added, "We pulled dozens of people out of cars and off of cars, trapped in the middle of floodwaters."

Milwaukee Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke said, "You have 14 inches of rain in this location right here. That's an intense amount in a short period of time. So there's no sewer system across the country that can maintain that amount."

Cars were stranded seemingly everywhere in affected areas.

Kruschke said, "Our tow vehicles have been out since last night, about 10:00 at night."

Public works crews worked around the clock to clear stranded cars and clogged storm drains. "Our tow trucks are trying to get there, trying to open up waterways. That's our first priority," Kruschke said.

While water receded in some areas, it remains dangerously high in others. Barriers are up to keep drivers from unsafe conditions, but Lipski said people still ignore the warnings. "We've been telling people over and over and over again, don't drive through the water. But they know better."

PHOTO GALLERY

In Wauwatosa, the Menomonee River spilled over the banks, beating up the bridge on 68th Street. 

At one point overnight, the river rose to 14 feet. 

Overnight, vehicles became stranded in heavy floodwaters on streets and highways, as seen at Highway 175 at the Stadium Interchange near American Family Field. 

The Wisconsin State Fair closed early Saturday night, canceling a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert on the main stage due to the severe weather. Photos captured people trying to leave as they worked their way through the flooded parking lots and exits.

Inside American Family Field Saturday night, a leaky roof as rain seeped into the ballpark as the Brewers took on the Mets.

A spokesperson with Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport confirmed that some flights were delayed due to the storms. 

The American Red Cross of Wisconsin has opened a shelter following the severe flooding at Holler Park at 5151 S. 6th St. in Milwaukee for those affected by the flooding.