KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Kenosha County has declared a state of emergency after a winter storm earlier this month caused shoreline flooding and damage.
The declaration is the first step in requesting federal disaster relief. The Jan. 11 storm brought strong winds and then combined with record-high water levels on Lake Michigan to create huge waves that flooded and eroded the shoreline.
Jeff Warnock, superintendent of parks for the city of Kenosha, told the Kenosha News that damage includes ripped brick pavers from the lakeside promenade and damage to the beach at Southport Park.
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Warnock said.
He said that 500 to 1,000 brick pavers were pulled out into the lake. One of the life ring kiosks was broken and washed away, as were a dozen decorative black metal trash containers. Erosion also knocked back a portion of the shorelines at Southport Park, leading the department to tear down a park shelter that was at risk.
“We lost about half the beach at Southport Park,” Warnock said. “There’s a lot of stones, probably 3-4 feet deep” on the beach.
