NEW YORK, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Three children died in Geneva Lake in the southern part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin after a boat capsized amid severe weather across the region on Friday.
The Geneva Lake Police Department said 10 people, including four children, were aboard the boat when strong winds and rough waves overwhelmed it, causing it to take on water, capsize, and sink.
The six adults and one child were rescued from the water, police said. The other three children were later found and died despite life-saving attempts.
Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner said a strong storm hit southern Walworth County at noon and caused "massive damage." A wave of 911 calls came in reporting downed trees and power lines, vehicles crushed, and people trapped in collapsed structures.
Lake Geneva City Mayor Todd Krause has declared a state of emergency. Walworth County has asked for help from law enforcement in nearby counties and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Hausner said.
Due to storms that rolled through the Midwest on Friday afternoon and evening, multiple cities in the U.S. have canceled holiday festivals and rescheduled fireworks displays for Independence Day on Saturday, local media reported. ■
