Severe rainfall in Boone caused flooding throughout the area Wednesday as Boone saw 5.34 inches of rain Wednesday, according to booneweather.com.

Appalachian State University Physical Plant Director Michael O’Connor acknowledged that there was flooding on campus, including Durham Park and Belk Library and Information Commons.

O’Connor said that the library’s basement flooded with one to two inches of water, and the library powered down some equipment as a “precaution.”

The water was vacuumed and trashcans were strategically placed by housekeeping staff to catch any more water.

Durham Park was filled with water during the storm, as well, but O’Connor said that this was planned.

“The park is a storm water retention area,” he said. “It was built for that purpose. The university has made large investments in storm water mitigation systems. We’ve done a good job on our campus.”

O’Connor said that the pipe system at the Appalachian Panhellenic Hall off of Blowing Rock Road “reached capacity” but was not overfilled. He said that most cars were either moved by the owners or were towed to safety.

O’Connor said that there was also a small landslide behind the Quinn Center of about five cubic feet of earth. He said there was little damage done.

There were also several roof leaks across the campus and a number of steam system manholes flooded, but all were promptly drained.

O’Connor said he was relieved that the Raley parking lot did not flood, and that things could have been much worse if it had.

“All in all, it worked like clockwork,” O’Connor said. “Things went our way.”

O’Connor said the Physical Plant staff was able to be out at 4 a.m. Thursday morning to salt the roads for ice.

Story: JOSHUA FARMER, News Editor