CONTACT: Lori Getter | lori.getter@wisconsin.gov | 608-516-0293

Incident Report #2 – 06/18/18 2:00 pm

Damage assessments continue in northwestern Wisconsin, following heavy rains over the weekend that caused flooding across the region. The National Weather Service says portions of Douglas, Bayfield, and Ashland counties received 6-10 inches of rain over the past three days, while Drummond in Bayfield County received 15 inches between Saturday and Monday morning.

A state of emergency has been declared in Douglas and Bayfield counties, where residents and businesses are being urged to call 2-1-1 to report flood damage.

At least one person is dead as a result of the flooding. The Ashland County Sheriff says a 75-year-old Mason, Wisconsin man was found in a flooded ditch near a pickup truck, which was also in the water. The incident remains under investigation.

Several rivers, including the Nemadji and St. Croix Rivers, are running high. A flood warning remains in effect for Clark County until 7 pm Monday. A flash flood warning has been issued until 6:30 pm Monday for Burnett and Douglas counties. Douglas, Washburn, and Burnett counties are under flood warnings until Thursday morning.

Multiple roads in the region are closed due to washouts, being covered by water, or because of concerns about their stability. People traveling in the region are urged to check 511wi.gov for current road closure information. If you encounter standing water on a roadway, turn around and find a different route.

The State Emergency Operations Center remains elevated to Level 3 with Wisconsin Emergency Management, Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the National Weather Service monitoring the situation. Other state agencies are monitoring. WEM Regional Offices continues to work with county emergency management agencies.

Additional information on the state’s response to the flooding can be found at http://ready.wi.gov/flooding/NWWI2018.asp

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