AMHERST — Heavy rainfall on Friday led to flooding in a number of parking lots at the University of Massachusetts and in some campus buildings, though the extent of the damage has not yet been determined.
UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said an initial assessment indicates about “10 facilities suffered some level of water infiltration,” most notably the ground floor of the original section of the Isenberg School of Management.
“The sheer amount of water that fell in a short period of time seemed to overwhelm some drainage systems, and fallen leaves clogged some drains,” Blaguszewski wrote in an email.
Photos on social media showed especially deep water in Parking Lot 32, located along Massachusetts Avenue near Haigis Mall, with the tires of some cars partially submerged in water.
Another photo showed water coming through an electrical outlet in an unnamed building. Blaguszewski said additional custodial staff responded to help dry, clean up and dehumidify areas in buildings affected by the flooding.
Damage assessment is continuing, he added, “but right now I’m not aware of any broken pipes or buildings closed due to storm damage.”
— STEVE PFARRER