Homerton College was particularly hard hit by the flash floodsFlickr: Fenwench

Heavy thunderstorms on Thursday night have caused severe disruption and damage throughout Cambridge, affecting internet and hospital services.

Flooding to a server room located in the New Museums site brought down network services across the University, including the Hermes Webmail Client, eduroam and UniofCam Wi-Fi networks, CamSIS and all ‘cam.ac.uk’ websites.

The floods also brought down online services across Cambridge, affecting 19 institutions including some external to the university who are dependent on its internet services, including Anglia Ruskin University, Hills Road Sixth Form and Cambridge Regional College.

The impact was significant because the flooding affected the point of presence in the internet architecture, where the servers are housed.

Floods were particularly severe at Homerton College, where staff worked through the night to stem rising flood water across the grounds, with particular problems in the college’s car parks.

Varsity has learned that engineers attempted to patch around the damaged equipment via the new data centres at West Cambridge. 

Engineers were at the New Museums site pumping out flood water by 08:25 and by midday, the “contingency external network connection” was operational and many services were restored. The Cambridge University Twitter account responded with humour, reporting that Tiny Titan, a titan arum at the Cambridge Botanical Gardens that has not bloomed since 2004 and is broadcast on a livestream, had been dancing like Groot, a tree-like character from the hit movie and comic book series Guardians of the Galaxy. Varsity has not been able to verify these reports.

The loss of internet services also severely affected the ADC, which lost all internet and phone systems until shortly after midday on Friday. Fearing that ticket sales would be impossible throughout the day, including on the door, a private internet connection was being organised when the university’s services were resumed.

One university employee described how the hailstorms that caused the flash flooding were so severe the lightening was "like strobe lighting in a 1970s disco". 

Flooding has also impacted services at Addenbrooke's Hospital after flood waters breached a basement where sterilisation equipment is kept. In response, the hospital declared a major incident, cancelling elective surgeries, procedures considered not to be an emergency scheduled for that day.

In a statement posted on its website, the hospital is requesting that patients do not go to Addenbrooke's A&E department where possible and seek alternative care. The statement also declares that the hospital is closed to major trauma cases and that surgeries scheduled to take place today, over the weekend, and on Monday have also been postponed.

The statement also said patients with any concerns could call 01223 245151.

With thanks to Hazel Lena.