VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Emergency officials in Virginia Beach are urging residents to prepare for potential flooding as tropical systems approach the East Coast.
Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Renee McKinnon said city departments have been meeting daily since Thursday to monitor forecasts for Tropical Cyclone Nine and a nearby hurricane.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty… We are preparing for the worst case, making sure storm water drains are clear and putting out messages to residents,” McKinnon said. “Unfortunately, residents were driving through flood waters. We’re urging residents to please listen to public safety partners. If there’s deep water, don’t drive through it.”
During the city’s last tropical weather event, neighborhoods such as Windsor Woods experienced significant flooding. McKinnon said officials have been working on projects to mitigate flooding but stressed that timing and strategy remain challenges.
“The idea is to lower the impact to residents. We will continue to monitor and see if we need to make any changes to our posture,” she said.
City officials also encouraged residents to sign up for VB Alerts to receive location-specific updates.