Extensive damage: 3 tornadoes leave trail of destruction in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE — Three confirmed tornadoes Tuesday, Aug. 28 (Alto/Brandon in Fond du Lac County, Brownsville in Dodge County, Town of Wilson in Sheboygan County) uprooted trees, stranded train travelers, leveled a barn and snapped power lines in Wisconsin.

Storms with powerful winds and driving rain caused extensive damage. It was the third straight day storms brought heavy rain to the state.

Storm damage in Lomira in Dodge County Tuesday, Aug. 28

Cow barn destroyed in Brandon in Fond du Lac County (PHOTO: Liss Rodriguez)

The deluge of rain caused flooding throughout Wisconsin. About 400 Amtrak passengers were stranded for hours because of flooding over the train tracks in southern Wisconsin. One Amtrak train was stalled near Portage and another near Tomah.

Some 15,000 We Energies customers were still without power Wednesday morning as utility crews worked overtime to restore service.

Storm damage in Village of Brownsville

In western Wisconsin, 5 to 11 inches of rain has fallen in La Crosse, Vernon and Monroe counties causing people in several communities to evacuate to higher ground.

Governor Scott Walker declared a statewide state of emergency as a result of this week's storms and the extent of the damage.

Below is a county-by-county storm update, from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, released Wednesday evening:

Adams County
Multiple roads are closed in the southern portion of Adams County, mainly in the Town of New Haven, due to heavy rains and flooding. Approximately 1,900 customers were without power in the county. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

Bayfield County
Trees were reported down in several areas throughout the county, with branches and leaves visible on many roadways. No road closures are currently reported.

Brown County
Heavy rainfall on Tuesday caused street flooding in Green Bay.

Calumet County
Nearly a dozen homes near the City of New Holstein received damage during Tuesday’s storm. Calumet County and the City of New Holestein have both declared a state of emergency.

Dane County
Multiple residences have been evacuated and several roads remain closed in the county. A shelter is open at Madison West High School. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county, and the Dane County Emergency Operations Center was activated. There has been one confirmed fatality of a missing person. Officials continue to monitor lake levels.

Dunn County
Downed trees are being removed and power lines are being repaired in an area south of State Highway 170.

Fond du Lac County
Approximately 6,650 customers in the county were without power. There is also localized flooding on some streets in the city of Fond du Lac. Two barns in the county collapsed, killing approximately 100 cattle. A shelter is open at Brandon Elementary School in the village of Brandon. The National Weather Service has concluded a probable EF-1 tornado touched down near the village of Brandon late Tuesday. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county, and the Fond du Lac County Emergency Operations Center was activated.

Green Lake County
Minor damage to a barn and some silos have been reported from a tornado touchdown. Approximately 420 customers in the county were without power.

Iron County
Multiple reports of trees down and water over roadways in the northern half of the county.

Jackson County
Strong winds damaged multiple residences and knocked down trees in the town of Cleveland.

Jefferson County
Approximately 130 residences were without power and several trees are down in the area.

Juneau County
Multiple roads in the county are closed due to flooding. A shelter is open at Elroy Elementary School. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

La Crosse County
Flash flooding was reported in several areas of the county. Numerous homes were evacuated, and multiple roads closed. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

Lincoln County
Some roadways in the county remain blocked, and there are reports of down trees and power lines. Approximately 100 residences were without power.

Manitowoc County
The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down near the Calumet/Manitowoc County Line, destroying a barn and uprooting several trees.

Marquette County
Heavy rainfall led to flash flooding in parts of the county, causing multiple road closures. Multiple homes were without power. A flood warning remains in effect for Marquette County. A shelter is open at Montello School.

Monroe County
Multiple residents have been evacuated from their homes as a precaution for potential flooding. Numerous trees are down over roadways causing multiple road closures. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

Ozaukee County
Multiple roads are closed in the county due to flooding, and a flood warning remains in effect. Multiple homes were without power. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

Richland County
Multiple residences were evacuated in the Village of Viola as the Kickapoo River reached a record high level. Multiple roads in the county are also closed due to flooding. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county and the Richland County Emergency Operations Center was activated.

Rock County
The county has staged sandbags and continues to monitor water levels on the Rock River.

Vernon County
Multiple roads are closed due to flooding. The Kickapoo River continues to rise, leading to multiple evacuations, and some dams have been compromised. Several homes were without power. A shelter is open at Westby High School in the city of Westby. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county, and the Vernon County Emergency Operations Center was activated.

Washington County
Several trees, poles and wires were down throughout the county. Approximately 900 customers were without power in the county. A State of Emergency has been declared in the county.

Waukesha County
Approximately 150 customers were without power, and several wires and trees are down.

Winnebago County
Several streets were flooded from Green Bay to Neenah. A flood warning remains in effect