Massive clean up efforts are underway after an EF-3 tornado hit the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach Sunday night, which prompted the city to declare a local state of emergency.
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WATCH: New drone video shows destruction from EF-3 tornado in Great Neck area
Vehicles were overturned, boats sank and homes sustained serious damage as a result of the tornado. The city estimates that there's been more than $15 million in residential damage with nine homes destroyed, 36 homes with major damage that are now uninhabitable, and many more with "significant damage."
The public damage assessment estimate reaches $731,000 so far, according to the city, and does not include the damage at JEB Little Creek-Fort Story.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has surveyed the area, and says the worst of it at Haversham Close saw 145 mile per hour winds, making it an EF-3 tornado.
The NWS said houses shifted off of their foundations and upper floors were completely removed from houses.
Tornado's path, other details from National Weather Service
According to the National Weather Service, the tornado had a span of 4.5 miles with a wind peak of 145 mph. The width of the tornado stood at 350 yards.
The tornado's path started in the Eastern Branch of Lynnhaven River at 5:48 p.m. and ended in Fort Story at 5:53 p.m.
The tornado progressed up River Road as an EF-1, passing by the Great Neck Recreation Center.
It increased to an EF-2 intensity, as it moved into the Chelsea neighborhood.
The tornado continued onto Haversham Close with EF-3 intensity.
In this area, several homes were shifted off their foundations and roofs and upper walls were completely removed.
The tornado then crossed Broad Bay and the eastern portion of Bay Island, clipping windward shore drive as an EF-1.
It then moved over First Landing State Park and into Fort Story as an EF-1, snapping trees, damaging barracks, and damaging several other builds before moving offshore.
Jeff Orrock with National Weather Service surveyed the impacted areas.
"The most impressive damage that we saw was the really well built brick homes. These homes are built into a hurricane zone. So there is a higher wind code here so you’re seeing these houses that have been lifted up and moved off their foundation," Orrock told News 3's Leondra Head.
Details from NWS's overview of the EF-3 tornado are as follows:
- "During the morning of April 30, showers and a few thunderstorms were ongoing across the forecast area, with a quasi-stationary frontal boundary positioned from east-central N.C. to eastern Virginia. The morning convection was elevated and thus did not pose a severe threat."
- "The environment changed rapidly between 2 and 5 p.m... Instability (especially in the 0-3km layer) increased significantly during the late afternoon before the arrival of the final round of thunderstorms (which were coincident with the upper shortwave itself)."
- "The cell that produced the EF-3 tornado in Virginia Beach turned to the right as it merged with a weaker cell just to its east about 10 minutes before the tornado touched down. The circulation moved over the Lynnhaven River right before the tornado touched down. It was on the ground for 5 minutes, tracking from the eastern branch of the Lynnhaven River to Fort Story before moving over the bay and dissipating. This was the first EF-3 tornado in the AKQ CWA since Tropical Storm Isaias (August 2020), and the first EF-3 in the state of Virginia since April 2019."
Here’s more on what you need to know:
- The following schools in Virginia Beach were closed on Monday, May 1: Cox High School, Great Neck Middle School and John Dey Elementary School. Students zoned for the three schools who attend academies or special programs at other schools were also excused. These schools have since reopened.
- There is a temporary shelter open at the Great Neck Recreation Center for residents who were impacted by the storm, according to city personnel. Residents are allowed to bring their pets. The center’s address is 2521 Shorehaven Drive, and it’s only open to those impacted by the tornado.
- The tornado caused $3 million in damageto Fort Story. About 60 Sailors and Soldiers are displaced and had to be moved to other arrangements, Navy Capt. Michael Witherspoon said.
- Great Neck Road is closed between Cox High School and the bridge at Adam Keeling Road until further notice. The city said people can receive updates on traffic and road closures for Great Neck Road by texting GNROAD to 67283.
- The city said its Landfill & Resource Recovery Center is open from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. At the center, residents can discard storm debris for free.
- So far, no injuries have been reported.
RELATED: How does your insurance cover tornado damage? Insurance agents explain
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares toured the damage on Monday, May 1. He said anyone who believes they might be a victim of price gouging to lodge a complaint at this link.
"We take all of those incredibly seriously," he said. "Our office will absolutely take that and investigate it. If somebody's doing it, we'll hold them accountable."
For more information from the City of Virginia Beach, click here.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
