Kansas State University took an estimated $20 million hit from Wednesday night's storm.

Hard-hit buildings included Durland, Fiedler and Ward Halls — essentially the engineering complex — as well as Moore, Cardwell and Weber Halls. Most of the damage was to roofs, although KSU President Jon Wefald reported this morning that Weber had sustained additional structural damage.

''We're in an emergency situation, but we will have the campus ready to roll by the time school starts in August,'' Wefald pledged.

Ward Hall, which houses the university's nuclear engineering program, was a particular point of sensitivity. A representative of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was on campus early this morning to examine the facility. Wefald said the building sustained damage to the ''skin'' — that is, the area around the reactor, and he termed part of it ''inoperable.'' But he said the reactor itself had not been impacted. Other campus security officials used the word ''secure'' to described the reactor's status.

Ken Odde, animal sciences and industry department head, was on campus this morning and described the storm's impact on Weber Hall. He said the entrance and the windows on the north and south sides of the building were blown out, and air conditioning units around the building were blown off.

"I would describe it as very significant damage to the building," Odde said.

Alan Duttlinger, an Indiana native who is a graduate student in swine nutrition, was working on a graduate research project when the storm hit.

"We got into a classroom," he said, "and about that time was when the storm hit, and the wind swirled and your ears popped from the pressure changing.

"It was really eerie." Duttlinger added.

Beyond the damage itself, the mere timing of the storm was especially inopportune for K-State for two reasons. Several hundred high school students are on campus this week undergoing the university's orientation process. They were being housed in dorms with their families. Wefald reported all of them fine, but the orientation itself had to be relocated from the K-State Union to Bramlage Coliseum due to storm-related power outages.

Beyond any public relations damage to incoming freshmen, the storm's timing also had significant financial consequences. Wefald acknowledged that the university's insurance policy carries a $5 million deductible, requiring it to pick up one-quarter of the estimated damage. He said the university had recently renegotiated that deductible down to $100,000, but the change would not take effect until July 1.