Dozens Of People Trapped On Michigan Island Evacuated

LITCHFIELD, Minn. (AP) - Wisconsin emergency officials say no one was hurt and everyone is accounted for after 32 people were briefly trapped on Michigan Island in Lake Superior following severe storms.

Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman Tod Pritchard says many of those were local residents who were camping.

He says a road had to be repaired to evacuate people, and no one was hurt.

Michigan Island is part of the Apostle Island chain off Iron County.

Around 6:30 p.m. authorities say a tornado struck Michigan's western Upper Peninsula during an overnight storm that downed trees and caused power outages and flooding.

The National Weather Service confirmed Tuesday a low-end EF1 tornado struck 3 miles south of the Gogebic County community of Bessemer. Winds were estimated around 90 mph.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the storm dumped nearly a foot of rain on the county and washed out access to a boat launch at Little Girl's Point County Park northwest of Ironwood. Part of Lake Road and a bridge over the South Baltimore River also have been washed away.

Some area homes were being evacuated Tuesday afternoon.

Officials have activated the State Emergency Operations Center and provided assistance on the ground and in the air and water.

By late afternoon Gov. Scott Walker has declared a state of emergency in eight Wisconsin counties after heavy rains caused flooding, power outages and damage to roads and bridges.

Walker declared the emergency Tuesday following overnight rains. The counties included in the declaration are Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Price, Sawyer and Washburn.

Walker says he is instructing the Wisconsin National Guard and all state agencies to help those affected by the storms.

The National Weather Service reports nearly 10 inches of rain near Saxon, nearly 8 inches of rain near Siren and 7.5 inches near Cable.

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