On the evening of Wednesday, April 6, a severe storm swept through Middle Georgia State University’s Cochran Campus leaving behind a trail of damage.
The Dodge/Bleckley County area was hit by an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds up to 105 mph. Multiple areas on the Cochran Campus experienced damage, estimated at nearly one million dollars worth of destruction. An unoccupied residential building, Regents Hall, was damaged after a 300-square-foot section of roof was removed by severe winds. An estimated 80 to 100 trees were down - at least 15 in front of Georgia Hall, behind Dillard Hall, and down Cook Road and Lakeside Drive. A few cars were damaged by the overturned trees.
The campus’s Lakeside Drive entrance took the biggest hit as trees and roof debris were stacked on both sides. All roads were cleared and made accessible for law enforcement and emergency medical services. The campus experienced a brief power outage overnight but was regained the following morning.
Classes were canceled in Cochran on Thursday, April 7 due to road closures around the University’s campus. Dining services and residence halls remained open with limited menu offerings. Normal class schedules resumed on Monday, April 11.
Middle Georgia State University President Dr. Christopher Blake was on-site Thursday morning, surveying damage left behind in the storm’s wake. He lead the charge on the Cochran Campus’s road to recovery, eager to restore operations and get students back in classrooms while ensuring the safety of the MGA campus community.
Despite multiple areas on the Cochran Campus experiencing damage, students, faculty, and staff were kept safe thanks to the University’s police and facilities departments and emergency alert system.
