WEST ALLIS, Wis. — From rivers to roadways, the flooding is wreaking havoc on areas of Southeast Wisconsin. This includes West Allis, which was hit hard by Monday’s storm.
This is the picture of the day:
West Allis Fire Assistant Chief Jay Scharfenberg says two people were plucked from two separate vehicles by firefighters. The Root River swelled near Oklahoma Avenue. He says people were just driving through the high waters and got stuck, “People just keep driving and assume that people are gonna make it through the water but engines and water don’t go well together.”
Over on Cleveland Avenue, more than a quarter-mile was shut down because of standing water. Scherfenberg says a combination of rain and melting snow called this, “And the fact that ice is covering some of the storm drains and the ground is frozen so the ground can’t absorb water the way it normally would.”
Despite the warning signs of high water, people kept driving through closed roadways, “We see that a lot. People get in a routine and they just wanna follow their routine. Even when you’re in a hurry, follow the signs when a sign says a road is closed the sign is there for your protection.”
Back by the Root River, neighbor Kurt Wacholz is stuck in his house, as the water is rising up his driveway. He’s thankful he can work from home and is counting on the river not creeping up any closer to his home.
