On Wednesday, Aug. 30, VSU was struck by Hurricane Idalia. The storm brought strong winds and hard rain. There has been reported damage across campus and the city. The power is out citywide and when it will return is still unknown. Class is canceled until Tuesday, Sept. 5. 

During the storm, some students living on campus were told to move into the hallways of their dorm. An alarm went off around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday in Hopper Hall and continued to blare at irregular intervals for thirty minutes. Students were frightened and were not informed about what was occurring. 

Residential buildings lost power before noon and students gathered in rooms with windows to see what was happening. Many students offered card games and comfort to one another. 

Many trees were knocked down causing the power outage. There are power lines down due to the strong storm that have been left in the street. Some traffic lights are not working, and multiple places of business have closed due to the damage. 

Students no longer have electricity or internet. The dining hall continues to serve food, but there are limited hours. The hours for the dining hall can be found on Palms Dining Hall doors. They are open for breakfast 8:00- 10:00 a.m., lunch 12:00-2:00 p.m., and dinner 5:00-7:00 p.m. They serve to-go containers, offer hot meals and are open to residential VSU students. 

Many students have now left campus. Those who stay should make their RAs aware and continue to stay safe. Those traveling should know about dangerous roads, flash floods and fallen trees. 

VSU continues to release information regarding Hurricane Idalia and campus updates.  

 Written by Jenna Arnold, News Editor. Photos by Jenna Arnold.

This story was written on August 31, 2023 following the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia.