Major damage reported near Virginia Beach following EF3 tornado

A state of emergency was declared in the Virginia Beach area after an enormous tornado caused damage to more than 100 homes on Sunday evening. According to city officials, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.

"No words can describe what we saw in our tour of the district," Virginia Beach City Manager Patrick Duhaney said at a press conference on Monday. "We could not have responded as quickly as we did without the help of our regional and state partners."

On Sunday evening, crews responded to multiple storm-damaged homes and reports of gas leaks to the northwest of Virginia Beach, according to Virginia Beach Fire Department.

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Wakefield, Virginia, said on Monday that a storm survey crew confirmed EF3 tornado damage in the Great Neck portion of Virginia Beach. The NWS said the survey was still ongoing and additional details will be released later Monday.

A tornado warning was first issued for the area at 5:47 p.m. EDT Sunday as severe weather moved into the area. The tornado struck Virginia Beach at 5:50 p.m., according to NBC 12. The NWS confirmed the twister late Sunday night.

A video shared on social media showed a large tornado in the distance. As the twister moved closer to the person taking the video, boats could be seen flipping over in the water.

A tree was down on a vehicle near Great Neck Middle School. One person was reported trapped in a vehicle. Video from photographer Kevin Romm showed homes with roofs ripped off and debris scattered across the neighborhood on Haversham Close, according to WAVY.

Pictures and video demonstrated the storm's might, including significant damage to homes, including shingles removed from roofs. There were also reports of boats being overturned in the area.

Late Sunday evening, Duhaney declared a state of emergency in the area, with an early estimate of 50 to 100 homes damaged by Sunday's severe weather.

Following several calls and meetings with city officials and the NWS, the final evening of Something in the Water, a three-day music festival that was taking place in Virginia Beach, was canceled. According to city officials, the "multiple lines of storms with heavy rain, strong winds, small craft advisories and lightning," as well as the tornado warning, posed a significant threat to the safety and well-being of the attendees and staff of the event.

"No one wants to make this call, but we cannot predict nor negotiate with the weather," said Duhaney. "It is our responsibility to ensure public safety above all else."

Despite the final day of the festival being canceled due to the weather, Pharrell Williams, a musician who was headlining at the concert venue, shared appreciation for Virginia and everyone who helped with the concert.

A confirmed tornado touched down in Virginia Beach just before 6 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 30, 2023.

"Dearest Virginia, we are the best...even during this tornado watch and lightning storm right now as I type, we are the best," Williams wrote on Twitter. "Thank you to our partners, the vendors, production, policemen, firemen, the city council, the mayor and all who volunteered. The spirit here was felt everywhere."

Due to significant damage, road closures and the uncertainty related to transportation, at least three Virginia Beach schools announced they would be closed on Monday.

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