Communities in Wisconsin are grappling with the aftermath of severe weather that recently swept through the state, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
From thunderstorms to tornadoes and intense rainfall, Wisconsin faced significant weather challenges last week. Greg Engle, the administrator of Wisconsin Emergency Management, reported on Thursday morning that over 1,000 damage assessments have been conducted.
“Most of the state was affected,” Engle commented, highlighting the widespread impact.
These assessments are crucial for Wisconsin Emergency Management as they determine if the damage qualifies for federal aid.
In Marathon County, the town of Ringle experienced an EF3 tornado last Friday night. Marathon County Emergency Management has evaluated 149 properties to date, with the majority located in Ringle, as stated by county spokesperson Sarah Severson.
“The devastation in Ringle is absolutely heartbreaking,” Severson noted. “We have folks who have nearly their entire home that was just gone from the storm.”
The assessments in Ringle revealed that eight properties were obliterated, 32 suffered major damage, and 73 had minor damage.
Outagamie County Emergency Management officials conducted damage assessments in Shiocton, where flooding from the Wolf River necessitated an emergency evacuation.
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson expressed, “This has been absolutely devastating,” adding that flooding is a unique disaster because “the waters come through and then stay there.”
After evacuations, residents were allowed to return home on Thursday. Paula Van De Leygraaf, Outagamie County Emergency Management director, reported that at least 14 homes in the village sustained “major” damage and anticipates this number might rise.
Nelson urges residents to document storm damage and report it to 2-1-1.
Flooding also impacted Burlington in Racine County, where assessment teams are evaluating damaged homes, as noted in a flood update from the city.
Waupaca County teams are assessing damage in New London, while Janesville residents are encouraged to report damage via social media.
Engle stated that Wisconsin Emergency Management is compiling damage assessments statewide to evaluate if federal assistance is warranted, a decision ultimately resting with Gov. Tony Evers and potentially involving FEMA and President Donald Trump.
“I want to emphasize that we’re still collecting that initial data,” Engle said. “We have not made a determination as to whether that request will be made yet.”
Public and private property damages are preliminarily estimated to be in the millions, but Engle noted this figure is subject to change as assessments continue.
Last August, Wisconsin also suffered from extensive flooding, which prompted the Trump administration to approve individual assistance but deny requests for public infrastructure aid.
In a letter to Wisconsin’s congressional delegation, Gov. Evers emphasized the importance of FEMA’s support, urging them to advocate for federal assistance.
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