Posted on: Friday, November 26, 2004
UH flood cleanup moving along
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Cleanup of the flood-ravaged University of Hawai'i campus is "going along well," with work at several buildings already completed, according to a UH spokeswoman.
Heavy rain on Oct. 30 — four weeks ago tomorrow — flooded the campus and damaged 35 buildings, with losses expected to exceed $25 million. One of the hardest-hit buildings was Hamilton Library, which sustained about $10 million in damage.
The Hamilton cleanup isn't expected to be completed until mid-December, but many other areas of the campus have been reopened.
"Obviously there may be some glitches here and there but, overall, considering the damage that this place suffered, it's going along well," said UH spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka.
The cleanup at 11 buildings has been completed or is expected to be done by the end of this week. They include Agricultural Science, Art, Edmondson Hall, Food Science & Technology, Keller Hall, Pacific Biomedical Research Center, physical education/athletic complex, Pope Lab, Sherman Lab, Snyder Hall, and St. John Plant Science Lab.
But power remains out at several buildings, including the Biomedical building, Sherman Lab and Hamilton, and classes and other activities have been relocated until further notice.
Jacob Hopkins, project director for BMS Catastrophe of Texas, which is handling the cleanup, said the company may be on campus until Christmas.
Meanwhile, university officials are asking people affected by the flood to file damage claim forms by the end of next week.
"Those forms need to be in by Dec. 3 in order for us to start working with the insurance companies and getting a handle on what our damage costs are," Tanaka said.
To help students, staff and faculty, the library has instituted a paging system to allow them to request and borrow normal circulation items. To request a book, go to the library's loading dock entrance on Maile Way between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays with a valid UH identification card.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.
