VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Sunday will mark three months since a tornado devastated parts of Virginia Beach, and the cleanup process is still very much underway.
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VB EF-3 tornado spans over 4.5 miles in 5 minutes, damaging about 115 homes
The National Weather Service reports that an EF-3 tornado came through shortly after 5:45 p.m., on April 30. Much of the damage was in Broad Bay and the Chelsea neighborhood.
A representative for the City of Virginia Beach says seven houses were destroyed and another 25 had major damage.
Driving through the neighborhood nearly three months later, demolition crews as well as repair crews, are hard at work.
On Haversham Close, homeowner Nancy Gonzalez says crews just demolished her home on Thursday. It was one of seven, according to the City of Virginia Beach, that were destroyed. Another 25 suffered major damage.
“I still have my days where I feel down and sad, because we had to wait three months and you don’t know when it’s going to be, how we’re going to move forward,” said Gonzalez. “You know, you’re dealing with insurance, although we are very blessed. Our insurance has been amazing and compassionate to us. So in that sense, we don’t have anything to complain about, but the demolition has taken three months. That’s a long wait when you feel desperate, when you want to rebuild - you want to come back home.”
A representative for the City sent the following information to News 3 regarding permitting to rebuild or repair:
- Permit issuance fees will be waived for 180 days post event
- Residents still need to go through the permit process
- Permits to repair/rebuild are typically reviewed and issued as they are received; however, for complete reconstruction of homes impacted by the tornado, sites maintaining the previous footprint do not need full site plan submittal. They will be expedited for review within 1-3 days
- These applicants submit a physical survey exhibit depicting new improvements within the previous footprint
- Sites changing or increasing previous footprint will require single-family site plan submittal. Those projects will be expedited for review (1-2 weeks)
For more information about the permitting process, click here.
As for Gonzalez, she did not have a timeline to share on when her new house may be built, but she is eager. She was brought to tears watching demo crews scoop up the debris that was once her house.
"My tears are also of joy and happiness because what God has given us now is going to be far better. Nothing to complain," Gonzalez said. "It’s just we are human and you feel different emotions."
