Emergency Declared After Storms Cause Wisconsin Floods

Wisconsin's governor on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for eight counties following flooding brought on by storms Monday.

Flooding is blamed on at least one death. Iron County Commissioner Mitchell Koski died in flash flooding near Saxon Harbor at around 9:30 p.m. Monday, NBC affiliate KARE11 reported.

The city of Ashland was cut off to road traffic after roads and highways were washed out, the Iron County Sheriff's Office said.

The storms damaged or destroyed 85 boats at Saxon Harbor, the Wisconsin division of emergency management said. Thirty-three people were stranded on Michigan Island in Lake Superior off the harbor, and they were being rescued Tuesday.

Gov. Scott Walker declared an emergency in Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Sawyer, and Washburn counties, which are in the northern and northwestern parts of the state.

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Nearly 3.5 inches of rain fell in Bayfield County and 4 inches fell in the city of Trego in Washburn County, the weather service said. The Whitehead River near Ashland rose to 8.54 feet, and the Bad River near Odanah rose to 27.28 feet, levels which broke records, the NWS said.

In Minnesota, nearly 9 inches of rain fell parts of Crow Wing County; 7 inches fell in Pine County; and more than 3 inches of rain fell in Cass County