More rain adds insult to injury as flood recovery takes a hit

Another round of closed roads and evacuations overnight in Monday in some areas already struggling with epic floods last week.

Heavy rains Monday night washed out roads and bridges in Vernon county and evacuation warnings were issued for parts of Coon Valley, already working to clean up from historic flash flooding.

One of the bridges closed was the Highway 14 bridge at Coon Creek.  The bridge will have to be inspected again before it can reopen.

A pickup truck driver escaped serious injury when a bridge at Spring Coulee Road and County highway P collapsed due to the heavy rains.

A mudslide reportedly temporarily closed Highway 35 at near Genoa around 9:30 Monday night.

By about 6:30 Tuesday morning, Vernon County had reported about 60 roads closed or compromised due to the heavy rains and new flooding.  That’s double what was reported just 24 hours earlier.

Flash flood warnings were issued early Tuesday morning.

The new dose of rain comes just as swollen rivers were starting to fall.

The Kickapoo River har dropped after record crests, according to the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs.

It is still, however, one of several rivers around the state where flood warnings are still in effect, a week after the worst of the area’s flooding.

Highway 131 remains closed in spots around Steuben, Ontario and Viola.

Sheriff John Spears of Vernon County is grateful for the help many citizens have provided.

“The schools have been phenomenal again in a situation like this, opening up the school to shelter people,” Spears said. “Vernon Memorial Hospital, right away, they were one of the first ones that called, before daylight, saying we have space.”

The National Weather Service says 2-4 inches of rain fell Monday night between about 10:30 and 2 a.m.

More heavy rains are expected Tuesday night.