Damage from Irene leads ECU to cancel Monday class
East Carolina University is closing its campus Monday because of toppled trees, downed power lines and damages to dormitories and administrative buildings caused by wind and rain from Hurricane Irene.
Workers will use the extra day without classes to make repairs. Some dormitories were damaged, forcing students to relocate. A number of administrative buildings were also affected by the storm, which passed about 70 miles east of Greenville on Saturday, spokeswoman Mary Schulken said.
“We are closing primarily because of the condition of the community and region — power lines down, trees down and on houses and roadways that remain underwater,” Schulken said. “We have faculty and staff affected and a lot of students coming from areas that were hit very hard.
The extra time will also allow crews to work without having to worry about cars driving around or people nearby, she said.
A number of students have been moved from the upper floors in Greene residence hall to make sure officials can clean up damage caused by a leak which sprung when a storm drain pipe broke at the joint during Irene. Two hallway windows in two residence halls were broken by limbs from a fallen tree and are being repaired, Schulken said.
Two dozen students were moved out during the storm, and more may have to move as crews take a short time to clean up the damage, she said.
Freshman Kia McKinney told WTVD that her room and her residence adviser’s room took on a lot of water and suffered cracks in the ceilings and walls. McKinney said she managed to get her personal laptop out of her room without suffering any damage, but that other students weren’t so lucky.
McKinney, who moved out of her room and is staying with friends on campus, also said a large hardwood tree in front of the dorm was driven into the building by the force of the hurricane and left in pieces.
Spilman, one of the six original buildings at East Carolina and the location of the chancellor’s office, lost the metal sheeting from its roof, Schulken said.
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