Multiple severe thunderstorms overnight Sunday into Monday caused major damage across the county, from flooded Fayette school district buildings to washed out gravel roads. Flash flood warnings were rampant across the area as more than four-and-a-half inches of rain and hail fell in a few hours overnight in Fayette. Lesser amounts were recorded elsewhere across the county.

Perhaps the most significant damage was extensive flooding in the Fayette school district’s elementary, middle school, and ag buildings. Water from the pond at the city park overflowed, crossed Herdnon Street, and overwhelmed the ditches on Herndon and Lucky streets. The Clark Middle School parking lot was covered by more than a foot of water, which then entered the middle and elementary school buildings. A water mark of 14 inches in height was measured on the middle school doors. Floodwaters also moved several objects in the parking lot, including a dumpster, which was swept into a nearby ditch along Lucky Street. Inside, flooding reached as far as the school library, with only seven classrooms and two closets untouched by water.

Superintendent Brent Doolin said the district will have to do an inventory of loss on supplies, food, and classroom resources. A team from ServepPro, a fire and water restoration franchise, was already inside the school on Monday morning.

Supt. Doolin said he had already been in touch with the district’s insurance company on Monday morning. The district’s insurance deductible stands at $1,000.

Summer school classes for elementary school students have been canceled. However, summer school for middle and high school students will go on as normal. Only one area of the high school received minor flooding. The administration building, which lies between the ag building and the middle school parking lot, remained dry throughout the deluge.

Fayette residents were without power for approximately one hour early Monday morning, with service restored around 3:30 a.m. A downed tree on Louisiana Court took out one circuit. Another fallen tree was later discovered on West Davis Street.

Around the county, many gravel roads were damaged, including culvert washouts. Most creeks overflowed, causing water to cover roadways. Western District Commissioner Mat Freese said the ground is too soft to even begin re-grading roads. “Horrible damage. There’s so much rock that is completely gone,” he said. “The amount of time we’re going to have just to build the roads back up, it’s going to be an all summer long process.”

On Monday morning, the county closed roads 201, 334, and 320 as flood warnings were issued by the National Weather Service.

In several places on Highway 240 south of Fayette heading toward Columbia, gravel had washed out from county roads, and ditches were overflowing, but the road was otherwise passable, according to Monday morning commuters.

Howard Electric Cooperative reported 823 members out of power after straight line winds, heavy rains, and lightning moved through its service territory.

Minor flooding was reported in a couple of buildings on the Central Methodist University campus with no significant damage.