Thunderstorm floods DePauw University buildings

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A van from Service Master Clean sat running outside the Green Center for Performing 
Arts Saturday night cleaning up after a thunderstorm brough mud and water into the area
 students refer to as Bum Alley. LEANN BURKE / THE DEPAUW

 

Update: The basements of Harrison Hall and Asbury Hall reopened today. John Coffin, assistant vice president communication, wrote in an email that dehumidifiers may still be in use.

 

A thunderstorm rolled onto DePauw University's campus Saturday evening just after the Opening Convocation, dumping enough rain to flood parts of three campus buildings. 

The basements of Asbury Hall and Harrison Hall both flooded. The water level neared electrical equipment in the basements, leading to an evacuation of faculty in the buidling. In an email Saturday night to faculty, Jonathon Coffin, assistant vice president of communicaiton, wrote that facilities management expects the upper levels of the two academic halls to re-open tomorrow morning. The basements will remain closed until facilities managment can ensure that the area is safe. 

The Green Center for Performaing Arts also experienced flooding in the area of the lower level students refer to as Bum Alley. In the email, Coffin wrote that facilities managament expects  the GCPA to reopen tomorrow, if not a little damp. Fans may be in the area to continue drying the carpet.