Flood damages Georgia veterinary college laboratories

Floodwaters caused nearly $2 million worth of damage at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Five-and-a-half inches of rain overwhelmed the nearby storm water management system on the night of July 1, causing water to crash through the windows of the college's basement-level offices and pathology and radiology laboratories.

Some 50 faculty and staff were temporarily relocated to an adjoining building while repairs were made. Equipment was damaged and, in some cases, months of research was lost.

Although only a couple inches of water flooded most of the laboratories, the Pathology Department was hardest hit. Dr. Zhen Fu, a pathology professor, reported more than five feet of water in his laboratory. College officials noted that no infectious disease agents were carried out with the water.

Insurance will cover damages to the veterinary college.