Governor Declares State Of Emergency In Dane County

(Madison) A state of emergency has been declared in Dane County by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Heavy rainfall totals topping 11 inches have led to widespread damage from flooding. The governor says the state of Wisconsin is ready to help the local recovery efforts after the Monday storms. Walker is scheduled to be at the Emergency Operations Center in Madison Wednesday afternoon and his office says he will be touring the areas damaged by flooding.

Dane County authorities are said to be monitoring the developing flood situation in Belleville. Village officials confirm the Sugar River is overflowing the dam at Lake Belleville. The entire community has been involved in the sandbagging effort after the dam was breached. Residents on the southeast side of the town have been evacuated and roads leading to the Belleville park are either covered with water or washed out. Highway 69 between Verona and Belleville was closed to traffic.

A 70-year-old man was pulled away by flood waters and drowned during Monday’s torrential rains. That man’s body was recovered Tuesday. Emergency officials in Middleton were still rescuing people trapped in buildings overnight by the high water. The National Weather Service reports rain was falling at two-to-four inches-an-hour at the storm’s peak. Middleton recorded 11-point-63 inches of rain — less than a tenth-of-an-inch off the state’s all-time record rainfall for a 24-hour period. An unofficial measurement found more than 15 inches of rain fell in nearby Cross Plains.