Global Courant 2023-05-01 19:55:50
A tornado swept through Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Sunday evening, damaging dozens of homes, creating gas leaks and knocking out power, officials said.
City manager Patrick Duhaney declared a state of emergency after the tornado touched down around River Road and North Great Neck Road around 6 p.m. and damaged between 50 and 100 homes, city officials said.
No injuries were immediately reported.
Resident Tara Frey told the Virginian-Pilot that the tornado lasted about 10 to 15 seconds.
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A man carries a piece of furniture through a Virginia Beach, Virginia neighborhood on Monday. (AP Photo/Ben Finley)
“I could literally feel the pressure drop in the house and I looked back and the wind picked up, and the rain started, and I just knew in my gut that it was coming,” she said.
The National Weather Service’s Wakefield office confirmed the tornado based on “radar debris signature, damage reports, and video of the storm.”
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A crew surveyed the damage Monday to determine the tornado’s rating, the agency said.
Virginia Natural Gas responded to several homes with gas leaks, and Dominion Energy reported about 250 outages around Virginia Beach Monday morning.
Great Neck Road remained closed Monday morning as the city worked to clean up and remove debris.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
