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Neighbors walk to work and to get groceries as Virginia Beach deals with flooding

Posted at 7:00 PM, Sep 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-22 23:18:01-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - As most of the city dries out, families in the Kempsville Lake area are still dealing with extreme flooding.

Some neighbors tell News 3 they have not been able to go to work for two days.

Other say they put on rain boots to walk to work or the grocery store to grab items they needed.

"We're actually on our way to Farm Fresh, the baby needs diapers and we can't get the cars out," says Erin Thompson, while trudging through the water.

Virginia Beach Public Schools canceled school two days in a row on Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday is still up in the air.

School spokeswoman, Lauren Nolasco, says they have transportation staff out in the evenings as well as early morning hours driving bus routes throughout the city and checking potential hazards.

"We have received an unprecedented amount of rain in the area these past two days, and, ultimately, a decision to change school operations can only be made with the information available at that time," she says.

School officials say poor road access in one or two areas can affect a large number of schools, students and families, and if one school needs to close as a result, all of the schools will close.

Other schools across Hampton Roads tell News 3 that they have a similar system that has to adapt if the weather changes quickly.

Some families in Kempsville Lake say if the water does not go down, schools should be canceled.

"There no way of getting them out of here," says Tamara Francis.