MADISON, Wisconsin, - A spate of tornadoes has affected normal life in southern Wisconsin and has resulted in the death of one person while 30 others are injured, authorities said on Friday. The tornadoes also destroyed around 200 homes, damaged power lines and uprooted dozens of trees.
More than 18 tornadoes struck Wisconsin with a savage intensity. They developed as a result of winds that blew across the Mississippi River on Thursday night. These winds gathered speeds of more than 200 mph. The twister that developed registered a F-3 on the five-point Fujita scale.
A 54-year-old man was killed in Stoughton when a chimney fell on him as he was covering his basement. Dozens have been injured and are being treated in the Stoughton hospital. Greg Tripoli of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison said, "This was probably the most intense storm in the country this year."
Governor Jim Doyle surveyed the area by helicopter and was at a loss for words; such was the extent of the damage, "It's just difficult to grasp how powerful this storm was. The damage is just really beyond comprehension," he said. He has also offered $30,000 in emergency assistance as well as temporary shelter for those whose homes were destroyed. The Governor also issued emergency declaration for Dane, Richland and Vernon counties. Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has urged Doyle to ask President Bush to issue a federal disaster declaration.
Residents of Stoughton, which has a population of 12,000, have been asked to evacuate the area. Mayor Helen Johnson said that it was a sad day for the people, "There's a lot of sad people, but we're going to pull together," she vowed. The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army have started relief operations in the hardest hit areas and will continue these operations for some more days until the situation comes under control. Volunteers have been asked to register with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which will be at Stoughton High School.
Meanwhile, the Dane County Department of Emergency Management has put a tentative damage estimate at $7.45 million to homes and $150,000 to businesses.
