Thousands Lack Power After Midwest Storms

Thousands of homes and businesses had no power Monday across the Midwest because of thunderstorm damage, and flooding filled basements and blocked roads.

Nearly 105,000 customers still had no electricity Monday in Michigan, down from at least 510,000 that were blacked out by storms during the weekend.

More than 20 Michigan counties were under flood warnings (search) Monday and several rivers were over flood stage.

Two tornadoes (search) touched down Sunday in Wisconsin and two were reported in Michigan, but little damage was reported. Earlier, three people were killed Friday when wind blew trees onto vehicles in Michigan, a tornado killed a woman in Nebraska and flooding killed a woman in Iowa.

Classes were canceled for about 2,200 youngsters Monday at Gurnee, Ill., while volunteers stacked sandbags to keep the Des Plaines River (search) out of their school. Residents of the northern Illinois community and nearby areas also worked to keep the river from flooding their homes and businesses.

"We have the misfortune of having a very lovely building about 50 yards from the river," said Mark Jeep, president of the Gurnee School District 56 board.

Several roads in the area were impassable, closing at least three other schools. Up to 20 homes in Gurnee may be evacuated by Tuesday, when the Des Plaines River is expected to hit a record 5.4 feet over flood stage, said police Cmdr. Jay Patrick.

Farther south, the river is forecast to crest Wednesday at the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines at a record 11 feet, city Manager Dave Niemeyer said.

Storms in Ohio early Monday knocked out power to more than 30,000 homes and businesses, utilities said. Several schools closed because they had no electricity. More than 6,000 had no power in Indiana.

Parts of downtown Thiensville, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee, were under water Monday along the Milwaukee River. Four to 6 inches of rain fell in much of southern Wisconsin over the past week, the National Weather Service (search) said.

Detroit Metropolitan Airport got 2.82 inches of rain Sunday, the weather service said.

The stormy weather had moved east on Monday, with clusters of thunderstorms rolling through parts of Pennsylvania, New York and the New England states during the morning.

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack asked President Bush to declare 17 counties federal disaster areas. Seventeen tornadoes hit the state Saturday, a day after a tornado destroyed most of the town of Bradgate.

Parts of Iowa got as much as 9 inches of rain during the weekend, flooding streets and forcing some Des Moines residents from their homes.

More than a dozen tornadoes struck southern Nebraska. One destroyed much of the small village of Hallam on Saturday and killed a 73-year-old woman who was trying to reach the shelter of her basement.

Residents and repair workers were allowed into Hallam on Monday, but there was a threat of more severe weather.

"If they issue severe weather warnings, we'll probably ask residents to leave," said Chief Lancaster County Deputy Sheriff Bill Jarrett. "I think these people understand there is no shelter left."