Neighbors and business owners in Milwaukee are cleaning up and bracing for more rain after a second round of heavy storms caused dangerous flooding and prompted water rescues overnight.
Near 55th and Vliet, floodwaters reached waist-high levels. Cell phone video showed first responders using an inflatable raft to rescue a driver from the top of her car after the intersection turned into a river.
"It was waist deep there was like 3 stalled on the street. She had actually had to climb out of her window and sit on the top of her car with a little umbrella," resident Clarice said.
Video from a Clarke gas station worker showed floodwaters rising and drivers trying to push through, not realizing the depth of the water. By morning, the water was gone, but the damage remained.
"I was just afraid that there was somebody in there… it was up to the car door, to the handle of the car door," business owner Mary Bleck said.
Bleck has owned her business in the area since 1986. She walked me through the aftermath, showing her flooded basement as her frustration grew.
"It was really scary. I've never seen that before," Bleck said.
Watch: Milwaukee neighbors clean up flooded homes and businesses as they brace for another round of storms
"Can you help us so this doesn't happen again, because like I said, this is going to cost in the thousands for us to clean this up, and some stuff you just can't replace," Bleck said.
Bleck and other residents believe clogged drains may have made the flooding worse. Neighbors took matters into their own hands, including a 77-year-old business owner who cleared drains himself after growing fed up with the lack of cleanup.
"In the fall, they didn't pick up the leaves, and now we're paying the price too in that way…" resident Cindy Rockman said.
"I feel like it was really sweet to just see the community come out and show up, so I feel like the community did their part," Clarice said.
With more rain on the way this weekend, neighbors are hoping the next round of storms spares their block.
"It's going to rain tomorrow night, we're so scared to death about that," Bleck said.
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