Here & Now

Flooding Damages Homes, Businesses In Western Wisconsin

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

FLOODING IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE IS DYING DOWN BUT NOT AFTER CLOSE TO $20 MILLION IN DAMAGE AND TWO FATALITIES FROM HEAVY RAINFALLS ACCORDING TO WISCONSIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS. DAMAGE TO HOMES AND BUSINESSES HAVE REACHED MORE THAN $7 MILLION. GOVERNOR WALKER DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN 13 OF THE MOST AFFECTED COUNTIES LAST WEEK. OFFICIALS SAY GROUND SATURATED AT HISTORIC LEVELS CREATED CONDITIONS FOR DANGEROUS LANDSLIDES THAT DESTROYED MANY OF THOSE ROADS AND BUILDINGS. WISCONTEXT COVERAGE OF THE SEPTEMBER FLOODS IN WESTERN WISCONSIN CAN BE FOUND AT WPT.ORG/HERE AND NOW INCLUDING REPORTS ON THE EFFECTS OF FLOODING ON DRINKING WATER AND TIPS ON HOW TO SAFELY USE PRODUCE FROM FLOODED GARDENS.