Three dead as severe storms hit Virginia

Three people were killed in Waverly southeast of Richmond as severe storms blasted central and southern Virginia Wednesday.

A 7:30 p.m. curfew was put into effect for the Town of Waverly as crews continue clean up in the area. Residents were also asked to stay at their residences, as first responders were going door-to-door overnight to make certain all residents are accounted for.

At approximately 2:40 p.m., Virginia State Police began responding to incidents of severe storm damage in Waverly along Route 40. A 50-year-old male, 26-year-old male and 2-year-old male were killed when their mobile home was destroyed in the storm. All three were found approximately 300 yards from the mobile home.

The bodies were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Norfolk for positive identification. State police are still working on next of kin notifications – no names will be released until then.

In addition, there are at least four other structures damaged within the town limits damaged as a result of this storm. There are no reports of any missing persons.

There were reports in the area of seeing a funnel cloud, but there has been no official declaration of it being a tornado.

 

Possible tornado cuts path of destruction through Appomattox County

Appomattox County was severely impacted by a reported funnel cloud that left an 8-10 mile path of destruction in its wake.

There are seven confirmed injuries resulting from the storm and multiple structures damaged along Route 460 and Route 727, and into the communities of Evergreen and Promise Land.  Of the seven injuries, two are serious. State and local first responders are currently in Evergreen searching for a missing adult male whose residence was destroyed in the storm.

There are numerous downed trees and power lines county wide, with an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 residences currently without electricity.

Appomattox County has set up two shelters for local residents:

• The Community Center at 220 Community Lane in the Town of Appomattox
• Pamplin Fire Department

All Appomattox County schools are closed Thursday as clean up continues through the morning hours and roads are re-opened. Many students remain at the Appomattox Primary School, as the school district is working to contact parents. Buses were cancelled for the students’ safety as roads became impassable due the volume of downed trees and power lines blocking so numerous county roads.

The county is currently in the process of setting up a Help Line at 434-352-2637 for residents with up-to-date information and available resources. In addition, the county is posting updates on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Appomattox-County-Virginia-128985430508618/

The Appomattox County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police are advising residents to avoid traveling in and around the county, especially overnight. Roads are extremely hazardous due to debris, downed trees, and damaged utility poles. There may also be standing/high water in some areas.

 

Storm damage in Essex County/Town of Tapphannock

Beginning shortly after 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Virginia State Police began responding to reports of severe storm damage in Essex County and the Town of Tappahannock. Several structures have been damaged and numerous injuries have been reported within the area. There are no reported fatalities at this time.