MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In addition to causing extensive water damage, the heavy rains also created structural problems for many people.

High water levels forced intense pressure onto foundations and basements, many of which gave way.

Eddie Hayes' is one of them. This is not the first time Hayes has dealt with severe flooding. Like many people he was hit hard last August.

But Hayes moved out of that house and into a new one.

Much of what he owns was destroyed in the flooding Wednesday night, and now he's afraid the house may collapse.

Hayes told us, "We heard some water coming in so we went to check. There was water coming through cracks of the wall."

Already skeptical about the health of his foundation, Hayes was worried Wednesday night as the floodwaters rose.

That fear was justified.

"We were standing down there to get more pictures," Hayes said. "And all of a sudden the wall just busted in."

The foundation gave way as feet of water poured in from outside, sucking garbage and bricks deep into the basement.

He and his nephew raced up the stairs and tried to evacuate, until they opened the front door to go outside. "Thought we were going to leave but water was up to the step you're standing on right there."

It's the second time Hayes has dealt with flooding.

After his northside neighborhood was hit hard last August, he moved to this new neighborhood. But on Wednesday night he was again faced with waist-high water.

Eventually, a neighbor pried off the manhole cover in the middle of the street. The water started to recede, but the problems were just starting.

Eddie's car was flooded out, still full of water like many of his neighbors'.

And there was another fear that kept him up. Hayes said he did not sleep Wednesday night "Because we had to worry about someone trying to come through the hole that was right there."

On Thursday, contractors were shoring up the basement beams and boarding up the hole in the wall. Now he's waiting for the insurance company but was told that could take three weeks.

Hayes said, "I thought that was a once in a lifetime chance of getting a flood. 05 But it's the second time."

Hayes said his landlord is looking into putting him in a new house, but he's not sure what he would even take with him.

He said most of his belongings were destroyed Wednesday night, including his brand-new washer and dryer.