Viola, a village of 700 people that straddles Richland and Vernon counties, was split in two by floodwaters from the Kickapoo River. About 25 percent of the village filled with water, including the entire downtown. Twelve people were evacuated by boat.

"We don't want to see anything like that again for a while," said Janet McGlynn, who lost at least 80 percent of her inventory at the Viola Gift Shoppe when 30 inches of floodwater swamped it.

The areas of Lone Rock and Buena Vista in Richland County also endured considerable misery, and in neighboring Iowa County, about 75 percent of the village of Avoca was under water at one point. All 608 residents were told to evacuate. Many fled to a Red Cross shelter in Muscoda.

"It's a pretty nasty hit," said Jim Pechan, who filled several trailers with ruined furniture from a family home in Avoca.

By the numbers:

$1.5 million: residential damage in Iowa County
$2+ million: public infrastructure damage in Iowa County
120: homes damaged by floodwaters in Avoca
12: businesses damaged in Viola