NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Before Hurricane Florence, Norfolk State University evacuated, unsure of what damage was on the horizon.

The storm did not make a huge impact on the school, but many students reached out to 10 On Your Side complaining of water damage and mold growing in their rooms.

At least two young girls are hopping from room to room every night because they say staying in their own room makes them sick.

Tyanna Edmonds and Tia Thomas sent 10 On Your Side pictures from inside their room, at the Samuel F. Scott residence hall on campus.

You can see moldy black and brown spots on the walls and sides of their dressers.

The girls said this is just part of what they’ve been dealing with for the last few weeks.

Thomas said as soon as she got back and smelled the mildew she called maintenance, who first passed it off as rust.

She then says they came back with ‘Moldex,’ a substance mold killer, but it keeps growing back.

Both girls say they’ve gotten sick staying in their room and now stay with friends because they can’t live there anymore.

She said their parents are very concerned, but feel helpless.

“They’re worried about my safety and my health and everything because now I’m starting to get sick. But it’s not much we can do being a college student who is not from the area. They can’t just come down on the drop of a dime. So they are depending on the school to get it right,” said Thomas.

Norfolk State officials released a statement:

Norfolk State University values the safety and security of its students, faculty and staff.

High humidity levels make mold a common problem in many homes, buildings and structures in the Hampton Roads region. Norfolk State is not immune from this problem.

The University has been actively working to address the issue of mold in a number of its facilities, especially inside some residence halls. Mold remediation professionals have been contracted to clean and treat buildings that have been affected. NSU’s custodial staff is also working diligently to clean and restore affected areas on campus. This process has been ongoing since classes began in August.

A new three-building residential complex is currently under construction on campus. The building will house more than 700 students next fall and will feature technology that will help prevent mold from developing. A major HVAC project will also take place later this year in Babette Smith North and South residence halls that will improve air quality in those buildings.

We understand and respect the concerns that have been raised by some of our students and parents, and want to assure the community that we are working diligently to rectify this issue as soon as possible.