MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker is requesting a federal assessment of damage from last week's heavy rains to determine whether the state will request federal disaster assistance.
The storm and flooding caused an estimated $30 million in damage in northwestern Wisconsin. State emergency management officials said in a news release Saturday that the storms caused nearly $1.8 million in damage to homes and businesses and $28.8 million to roads, bridges and trails.
Walker is requesting a preliminary damage assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help determine if the state will request a federal disaster declaration. The assessment is the first step to request federal disaster assistance.
Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties and Bad River tribal lands are among the hardest hit.
Below is the latest update from the Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center:
Storm Update 11 – July 18, 2016 1:00 p.m.
Governor Walker Seeks Federal Damage Assessment- Governor Scott Walker requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct a preliminary damage assessment following torrential rains last week that caused more than $28 million in damage to roads and bridges in northern Wisconsin. FEMA teams will begin assessing damage the week of July 25, 2016. The assessment is expected to take a few days to complete. Information gathered will be provided to Governor Walker to help determine if the state will request a federal disaster declaration. It is the first step to request federal disaster assistance.
Damage Assessments - Damage assessments continue in northern Wisconsin to determine the financial impact of the recent flooding event. As of 1:00 pm, eight counties, the Bad River Tribe, and the Department of Natural Resources, have submitted initial damage assessment reports from the flooding. Below are those damage estimates. These numbers will change as more assessments and updates to assessments are submitted.
County by County Update:
Bad River Band- Red Cross is supplying hot meals to the Bad River Reservation. A Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) will be open Tuesday and Wednesday to help residents of Bad River to access available community resources to assist in the recovery. The MARC is located at 72772 Elm Street, Odanah, WI, 54861. It will be open Tuesday from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Wednesday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. For more information please call (715) 583-6188.
Douglas County- Douglas County Office of Emergency Management is collecting flood damage information from citizens. Residents who sustained flood damage can call (715) 395-1636 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Iron County- Based on new sonar information from the U.S. Coast Guard, a dive team will arrive in Saxon Harbor Tuesday in an attempt to locate and recover two boats and two vehicles still unaccounted for.
Sawyer County- Sawyer County Office of Emergency Management is collecting flood damage information from citizens. Residents who sustained flood damage, regardless of the amount, are asked to contact the Flood Impact Hotline at: (715) 638-3355 or (844) 638-3593 .
Washburn County- Residents who have sustained flood damage can now call a special hotline number, (715) 468-4601. Please provide your name, home address, municipality you live in, and if this is your primary or secondary home and a description of the damage.
Red Cross Hotline- The Red Cross has established a dedicated phone number for individuals with a primary residence that has suffered major damage or has been destroyed. That hotline number is (715) 563-6188. All other non-flooding related calls can be directed to the (877) 618-6628 Disaster Number.
Road Updates – Eight teams of Wisconsin Army National Guard engineers were called to state active duty today to assist in road damage assessments with engineers from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). Local authorities requested the Guard and DOT to assess damaged town roads in rural and isolated areas where local resources are limited. Meanwhile, work is still in progress on US 2 at Kakagon River in Ashland County and is anticipated to be completed July 22. The remainder of US 2 is now open to car and light truck traffic. Semi-truck traffic should follow the posted truck detour via US 51, WIS 77, WIS 13, US 63 and US 53.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation continues to assess roadways for damage and detour routes as necessary. Though many routes have been reopened, please use caution when traveling in impacted areas.
Ashland County
US 2 is closed east of Odanah at Kakagon River. Use local route via River Road, Old US 2 and Kakagon Road.
WIS 13 corridor is closed between Mellen and WIS 112. Use WIS 77, US 63, US 53 and US 2 as alternative route.
Bayfield County
US 63 is closed at Twentymile Creek near Grand View, north of Drummond. Traffic detoured via County Highway N and County Highway A.
Burnett County
WIS 35 is closed in Riverside at South Markville Road. Traffic detoured via WIS 77 and US 53.
Iron County
WIS 122 closed north of US 2 to Michigan State Line. No official detour posted.
WIS 169 is closed between WIS 13 and US 2. No official detour posted.
Motorists are advised to drive with caution on all area roads and are reminded not to drive through standing water. For up-to-date closures and detour information visit www.511wi.gov, download the free mobile app or follow @511WI on Twitter.
The State Emergency Operations Center remains elevated to Level 2 with Wisconsin Emergency Management, Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Administration, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Department of Health Services. WEM Regional offices remain on scene working with county emergency management agencies.