Flooding cancels last day of Wisconsin State Fair, water rescues in Milwaukee

Heavy rainfall in half a dozen states leads to water rescues, power outages.

MILWAUKEE -- Flash flooding canceled the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair on Sunday as continued heavy rainfall in half a dozen Midwest states led to water rescues, power outages and road closures.

Organizers of the Wisconsin State Fair said they were canceling the final day of the 11-day event after rains flooded the fairgrounds in West Allis, which is just outside Milwaukee.

“We are saddened we cannot deliver this final day of the Wisconsin State Fair, but know that this is the best decision with current conditions and the forecast ahead,” organizers said in a statement.

The National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings for parts of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. After rainfall began on Saturday in some areas forecasters predicted “repeated rounds of heavy rain,” along with hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes on Sunday.

Among the worst hit was the Milwaukee area, where as many as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain had fallen in some areas by early Sunday. Nearly 47,000 customers of We Energies lost power in southeast Wisconsin. USA Triathlon also canceled its Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships in Milwaukee, where thousands of athletes were expected to participate.

Firefighters responded to over 600 calls including for gas leaks, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department. Meanwhile, city crews worked overnight to clear surface water.

“Please continue to avoid flooded areas and do not walk or drive through standing water," the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works pleaded in a statement. "It remains dangerous.”

On Saturday, strong winds led to the death of one person in eastern Nebraska after a tree fell on a woman’s car. In the state capital of Lincoln, the storms damaged two housing units at the Nebraska State Penitentiary, displacing 387 prisoners, the state Department of Correctional Services said. The agency said all staff and incarcerated individuals were safe and accounted for.