Australia Weather News

Around 20 cars became partially submerged after falling through a temporary car park established on Wisconsin's frozen Lake Geneva on Saturday local time.

Parking was allowed on the lake when visitors to the Winterfest and US Snow Sculpting Competition overwhelmed existing facilities.

The Lake Geneva Fire Department was on the scene to free vehicles, and confirmed to local radio there was no risk to any drivers.

Festival goer Michelle Klimo told WTMF radio that 18 to 24 vehicles were impacted, but most recovered cars were driven away as soon as they were returned to solid ground.

Although not everyone was lucky.

"There was one person we talked to whose electrical system must have been screwy because her car windows opened," Ms Klimo said.

Drone footage taken during recovery operations shows 15 or 16 vehicles partially submerged, with another eight appearing to be entirely on top of the ice.

Matthew Demko ran back to his car when the festival broadcast a warning over loudspeakers.

"We heard on the loudspeaker that anyone that had their cars on the ice, their cars were sinking," he told television station TMJ4.

"Me and my friend Jason came walking back and we seen that the water was over our tyres.

"We said, 'uh uh,' we came running back and got inside of our vehicles and they said, 'hey get away from the cars,' and we said 'no'."

Police said there were no injuries, WTMF reports.