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Good morning!
On Saturday, Sept. 23, a large red oak tree was uprooted by strong wind at around 4:45 a.m. and fell across Elm Drive. The impact shattered the windows of two dormitory rooms and two bathrooms in Edwards Hall, forcing students to evacuate in the early morning.
The building incurred no other structural damage, but students spoke to the ‘Prince’ about a hectic evacuation experience. Angela Cai ’27 noted confusion and lack of preparedness at Dillon. “They just told us to find friends and sleep in their dorm for the rest of the morning,” said Cai, “but it was 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday, so obviously that wouldn’t work because they were all asleep.”
This incident was caused by lingering gusts of wind from Tropical Storm Ophelia, which has caused bad weather statewide in New Jersey. In previous years, Princeton has experienced similar severe weather as a result of tropical storms, including in 2018 and 2021 when heavy rains, flooding and downed trees caused a variety of inconveniences on campus.
Contributing columnist Thomas Buckley ’26 addressed the need to prepare for extreme weather conditions in an Opinion piece last week, arguing that Princeton can combat these challenges by cultivating greater biodiversity. “The University aims to have 85 percent of plants in its landscape be native to the mid-Atlantic region. But 85 percent isn't enough,” he writes. At the moment, “Princeton’s pristinely manicured lawns seek to assert dominion over nature rather than foster an organic and compatible relationship with the surrounding environment.”
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Analysis by Michelle Miao
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