Storms hit rural Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan

(AP) — Storms spawned tornadoes, torrential rain and powerful winds that prompted evacuations, damaged homes, deposited a snowplow in a tree and flooded roads in parts of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.

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

Diane Kelbing told KARE-TV that she and her husband raced to their mobile home park shelter when they heard the tornado warning siren.

Flooding in the Town of Saxon forced authorities to block off roads for repairs, and officials helped rescue people stranded in the Saxon Harbor area, where 85 boats were also damaged or destroyed, the Iron County Sheriff's Department said.

In Michigan's western Upper Peninsula, authorities say a tornado struck during an overnight storm that downed trees and caused power outages and flooding.

The state Department of Natural Resources says the storm dumped nearly a foot of rain on the county and washed out access to a boat launch.