A boat capsized on Geneva Lake Friday as severe storms swept through southern Wisconsin, leaving three people dead and prompting the rescue of seven others, according to Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner.
Hausner said he had no further details on the identities of the victims or the survivors. The circumstances of the capsizing are being investigated by police in the city of Lake Geneva, according to Associated Press (AP).
The same storm system caused widespread damage across Walworth County, snapping trees, downing power lines, and damaging structures, Hausner said. He noted that the sheriff’s office fielded a flood of 911 calls about structural damage and people trapped inside buildings. Deputies responding to those calls were slowed by debris and fallen lines blocking roadways.
Hausner warned residents to steer clear of the downed power lines scattered throughout the area. Given the scale of the damage, his department called in reinforcements from neighboring counties and the state Department of Natural Resources.
In Lake Geneva itself, Mayor Todd Krause declared a state of emergency. He reported one minor injury someone hit by a falling tree along with scattered power outages across the city.
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Geneva Lake is a popular summer destination that draws visitors from Chicago and beyond, and Hausner noted that Walworth County’s population can nearly double over a holiday weekend like this one.
The severe weather that moved through the Midwest Friday afternoon and evening also forced several cities to cancel Independence Day festivities and push back fireworks shows. The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Lake Geneva area, warning of heavy rain Friday with showers continuing into the holiday and a chance of more storms through the weekend.
