Floods are usually caused by heavy downpours leading to overflowing of bodies of water onto land that is normally not covered by water. This was partially true last Wednesday night in Upham Hall.

After a 2.5-inch water main broke open in the main lobby on the first floor around 5 p.m. Wednesday night, water started spraying everywhere; into the elevators, and classrooms with computers.

Greg Swanson of Facilities Planning and Management said the insurance adjuster came in to assess damages on Friday, but they do not have an exact damage count yet.

Junior Nicole Braun was attending a Geology Honor Society meeting in the basement when the pipe burst.

“[We] heard trickling water in the hallway,” Braun said. “[We] just thought it was a little leak from the pipes … We saw a physics lab with computers in it getting soaking wet … We saw water coming from the ceiling so we ran upstairs and it was like a waterfall.”

Senior Amy Chaffee, who was on her way to the same meeting, said she did not think much of the water until she realized the extent of the flood. She then decided to take some pictures.

“I realized, ‘I have my camera,’” Chaffee said. “I normally never carry it with me but I had it with me, of course.”

Braun and Chaffee said it was not too chaotic, but the professors and students in the building were trying to get the important information away from the water to avoid damages.

“There was a bunch of professors upstairs just trying to get things up off the floor,” Chaffee said.

“Afterwards, it hit me that I have all my classes in that building,” Braun said. “A lot of people do research in the basement for the geography department and we also have a lab with very expensive stuff that was getting flooded.”

Swanson said all water had been recovered and disposed as of Thursday morning but the computer labs affected are not back in service.

The only other flood events on campus in recent years have been due to rain, Swanson said. Heide Hall received minor flooding last summer. The University Center had minor flooding a few years ago as well.

Upham Hall, which is on the east side of campus, is home to the science department.