WISCONSIN — Gov. Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency after severe winter weather tore through northern Wisconsin.

Thousands were still without power on Wednesday in the region, though restorations have caused that number to drop. Over 60,000 were affected by power outages through Wisconsin Public Service directly after storms.

Outages were caused by heavy ice and snow that moved through the state last Saturday, March 29. The weather continued through Wednesday morning.

Evers said he signed the executive order on Tuesday evening to help support efforts to “clear debris, set up warming shelters, and respond to local emerging needs, and keep folks, families, and communities safe.”

The order came after several north-central and northeastern state representatives urged Evers to issue one, writing in a letter, “losing power means no heat or running water for many individuals.”

“This constitutes a major public health crisis, particularly for areas with a high percentage of elderly residents," representatives said.

The representatives also stressed the situation is more dire with the chance for more severe weather on Wednesday. In addition to receiving more snow in the morning, Wisconsin is expected to see thunderstorms with hail and high winds.

The letter was signed by Sen. Mary Felzkowski, Rep. Rob Swearingen, Rep. Jeff Mursau and Rep. Calvin Callahan.