Video footage captured the moment when floodwaters suddenly burst through the glass doors of an off-campus student home in Glassboro, New Jersey, sending a door panel flying across the room.
The incident occurred on August 27, as severe storms brought major flash flooding to the area. Rowan University students were in the process of preparing to move into housing ahead of the September start of the school year. According to a GoFundMe post, the flooding caused extensive damage to four bedrooms on the lower level of the home, which was being occupied by students.
The video shows that about an inch of water had already seeped into the lower level when a student approached the doors, which were surrounded by towels in an attempt to keep the water out. However, several feet of floodwater were building up on the other side, and it was clear that the doors were on the verge of giving way. Just as the student predicted, one of the doors immediately burst open, sending water rushing inside and overwhelming multiple makeshift barriers made of laundry.
Photos posted on GoFundMe show the extent of the damage, with furniture, beds, and rugs completely submerged in floodwater. The same day, Rowan University issued a warning about severe flash-flooding conditions across the region, noting that water had also infiltrated the Glassboro campus and several campus buildings had taken on water.
According to the National Weather Service, the wider southwestern New Jersey region received between 4 and 6 inches of rain.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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