Deadly Midwest Floods

A farm is surrounded by floodwater after the White River overflowed its banks and levees following days of heavy rains near Elnora, Ind., Tuesday, June 10, 2008. The river is expected to crest later Tuesday. Violent, drenching weekend thunderstorms caused flooding blamed for 15 deaths in the Midwest and elsewhere.

A house is seen after falling into the water after the land beneath it was washed away Monday, June 9, 2008, in Lake Delton, Wis. Floodwaters washed away three houses and threatened dams in Wisconsin as military crews joined desperate sandbagging operations to hold back Indiana streams surging toward record levels.

A home near the 254-acre Lake Delton in Lake Delton, Wis., was damaged when flood waters breached the bank and drained the lake Monday, June 9, 2008. Floodwater washed away three houses and threatened dams in Wisconsin while in Indiana military crews joined desperate sandbagging operations to hold back streams surging toward record levels.

An aerial view of flooding in Lake Delton, Wis., on Monday, June 9, 2008. An embankment forming the side of the man-made lake failed, pouring water out into the nearby Wisconsin River. The 245-acre lake nearly emptied, sweeping away three homes and tearing apart two others.

Curt Morrison, who has lived in his house for the past 18 years, tries to cool down with an ice pack while gutting his home after Saturday's floods ravaged the area, in Columbus, Ind., on Monday, June 9, 2008.

Viola, Wis., is seen mostly underwater Monday, June 9, 2008. An earthen dam along a man-made lake gave way under severe flooding Monday, unleashing a powerful current that ripped several homes off their foundations and down the Wisconsin River.

Tiny Ship Was Tossed — AP/Journal Times, Mark Hertzberg

A pleasure boat is partially submerged Monday, June 9, 2008, at the Belle Harbor Marina in Racine, Wis., after rushing flood waters slammed its hull into the dock after the Root River flooded to record levels over the weekend. Fifteen deaths were blamed on stormy weekend weather, most in the Midwest.

Members of the United States Marine Corps from Camp Lejeune, N.C., help with sandbagging along the levees located on the outskirts of Elnora in Daviess County, Ind., Monday, June 9, 2008. Sandbags were used in the attempt to block floodwaters that have plagued the area since Saturday.

Gays Mills, Wis., is seen covered in floodwaters on Monday, June 9, 2008.

Katie Hanson sits on a rail of her front porch Monday, June 9, 2008, in Preston, Minn., where floodwaters from the Root River surrounded her home and flooded the basement following heavy rains in southeastern Minnesota Sunday and Monday. Rivers in several parts of the Midwest swelled with the runoff from heavy weekend rainfall, topped by the 11 inches that fell Saturday in Indiana.

Kaynel Rindels sits on the sidewalk accompanied by Tiffany Scheevel in front of a business which was surrounded by Root River floodwaters Monday, June 9, 2008, in Preston, Minn.

An airboat returns with an evacuated family Monday, June 9, 2008, in Columbus, Wis. Families living along the Crawfish River in Columbus that were trapped by floodwaters were rescued by airboat and hovercraft Monday.

A cloud formation moves over Oconomowoc, Wis., Sunday, June 8, 2008, as the state contended with heavy rains, wind damage and areas of flooding. Weekend storms pounded the U.S. from the Midwest to the East Coast, forcing hundreds of people to flee flooded communities, spawning tornadoes that tore up houses.

Brittney Pittman, left, John Cox, center, and Ronda Cox who is holding Susana Bustos, 2, wade through floodwaters on the way to collect belongings from their home, in the Candlelight Village mobile home park Sunday, June 8, 2008, in Columbus, Ind. Part of the mobile home park was evacuated due to rising floodwaters.

Jim White Sr. pulls a canoe through his flooded yard along Taft Speedway, Sunday, June 8, 2008, in Iowa City, Iowa.

Horses walk through a flooded field in Racine, Wis, just west of the Root River, Sunday June 8, 2008, following heavy rains Saturday and Sunday. Heavy rains in Milwaukee caused the Root River to swell. Weekend storms pounded the U.S. from the Midwest to the East Coast, forcing hundreds of people to flee flooded communities and spawning tornadoes that tore up houses.

Rescue workers evacuate Joseph, 14, and Julia, 17, Sallazo, foreground, and Nick Vliegenthart, center rear, from the Sallazo home in the Town of Raymond, northwest of Racine, Wis., because of flooding, late Sunday June 8, 2008.

David Shepard removes a stuffed king salmon from his flooded home on Sunday, June 8, 2008, in Edinburgh, Ind. As much as 11 inches of rain swamped the state Saturday, flooding homes, threatening dams and closing several roads and highways.

Residents walk through several feet of floodwaters to get to higher ground along Rocky Ford Road in Columbus, Ind., on Saturday, June 7, 2008. Hundreds of residents had to be rescued as floodwaters shut off several areas throughout the city. The flooding resulted in one confirmed death and is estimated to have caused several million dollars in damages in the area.

Patients are evacuated from Columbus Regional Hospital in Columbus, Ind., on Saturday, June 7, 2008. Waters flooded the hospital's basement and first floor, forcing the evacuation of the patients.