Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--At approximately 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, a tornado touched down on the Mississippi State campus and nearby areas, damaging a number of buildings and dozens of trees. No on-campus injuries were reported.
"While the severe weather will move out of the area Sunday evening, we are encouraging students to stay in their residence halls and in their off-campus housing and to observe safety precautions," said MSU President Charles Lee. "We will continue to assess damage and work to restore power to campus, with the safety of our students and employees a top priority."
Monday morning classes on the Starkville campus will be cancelled to expedite repair and cleanup. The College of Veterinary Medicine, however, will meet classes normally scheduled. All other classes will resume at 1 p.m.
"We have many trees and power lines affected, and to allow campus crews to work safely, we are asking students and non-essential personnel to remain at home Monday morning," Lee said.
Essential personnel, including facilities managers of individual MSU buildings,should report to work Monday. Building managers will be needed to assess other potential damage, Lee said. Employees unsure of their status should contact their immediate supervisor.
A number of buildings, including historic Perry Cafeteria, received significant high-wind damage. Food services will be available Monday in the Colvard Union Food Court,Gooch's Deli,the Libary Food For Thought, and McArthur Hall Court.
Service may be restored to Perry Cafeteria by Tuesday, but it would be advisable to check he MSU Web site for updates.
Other damaged buildings include Colvard Union, George Hall, Lloyd-Ricks Annex, Magruder Hall, McCarthy Gym, McCool Hall, Pace Seed Laboratory, Plant Industries Building, and Thompson Hall.
"We appreciate the support of Starkville Mayor Dan Camp, who immediately offered city resources to help, and the many MSU facilities management personnel who worked throughout the day and evening Sunday to bring campus back on line," Lee said.