Officials confirm a rare EF3 tornado struck the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach, causing damage to over 100 homes. The National Weather Service reported the tornado hit the city before 6. p.m. on Sunday, and a severe storm swept through the East Coast. The City of Virginia Beach also reported the tornado carrying winds between 140 mph and 150 mph hit near the intersection of River Road and North Great Neck Road.
In addition, the National Weather Service noted that the most severe damage is evident along Haversham Close, where numerous homes display EF3-type damage.
As a result, nearby schools and roads were closed. David Topczynski, the Director of Emergency Management, while speaking in a press conference on Monday alleged the city emergency management teams evaluated at least 115 damaged structures. However, the count is likely to rise as the tornado surveys progress. Virginia Beach resident Jennifer Toppel told ABC News the tornado formed right above her home.
“We heard the roar and we quickly took cover, hiding in our pantry,” Toppel said. “We could actually see snapped pine trees and debris flying 100 feet in the air.”
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer described “massive” trees that were pulled up by the roots and revealed temporary accommodations have been provided for those who have been displaced due to the tornado strike. He added, ‘We’re blessed and grateful there was not a loss of life.’ Reports claim the tornado that struck on Sunday could be the strongest since the EF2 that had hit the same area in 2017.
Virginia Beach’s City Manager, Patrick Duhaney, declared a local state of emergency on Sunday night but thankfully, officials have reported no injuries or deaths. The Something in the Water music festival’s third day was canceled due to tornado warnings and over the past week, the strike has been affecting several regions in the Southeast. It’s claimed that about seven tornadoes were observed in Florida and Georgia respectively.
The same storm system that produced a tornado in Virginia Beach also resulted in flooding conditions in the Northeast on Monday morning. In Maine, a flash flood warning was issued as a result of 4 inches of rainfall that had happened and additional forecasts predict about 1 to 2 inches of rain through Monday. The area encountered flooding that resulted in road closures, and there is a risk of more roads being washed out. As of now, New Hampshire and some parts of New Jersey are under flood warnings.
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