A thunderstorm that made its way through Hampton Roads on Friday afternoon reportedly knocked down trees in Suffolk, the National Weather Service said.
Trees and limbs were down in Virginia Beach and other parts of Hampton Roads. No serious damages were reported.
The storm was heading southeast about 5 p.m., but it wasn't clear if much rain will make it to the Great Dismal Swamp, where firefighters are trying to extinguish a wildfire, said James Foster, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wakefield.
Flooding on westbound Interstate 264 closed several lanes in Norfolk at Ingleside Drive, the Virginia Department of Transportation said shortly after 5 p.m. VDOT at 5:23 p.m. reported standing water in all westbound lanes of I-264 at Laskin Road in Virginia Beach.
Norfolk firefighters were called to Sentara Healthcare corporate offices on Poplar Hall Drive after an employee smelled a burning smell, said Dale Gauding, a Sentara spokesman.
It appeared that lightning might have hit the building about 5 p.m., he said. There was an burning electrical smell throughout the offices.
It wasn't immediately clear where trees came down in Suffolk. Fire Capt. Jim Judkins said he could not comment. Debbie George, the city spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for information.
More than 17,000 customers were without power at 8:30 p.m. in southeast Virginia, Dominion Virginia Power said.
Patrick Wilson, (757) 446-2957, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
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We had what appeared to be a tornado come through
our lawn/neighborhood (Malibu). Many limbs were broken off trees, fences damaged, and one limb punctured our neighbor's house -- a few feet from where he was sitting inside. The power was off for a few hours.
That's..
not a flood... that's a pond!
wow
I don't recall a time that that portion of 64 has ever flooded, asides from a hurricane-fueled storm. Best of luck to commuters!