Tidal flooding caused problems for drivers as Hurricane Erin passed through our region and gave cities the opportunity to prepare and run through their emergency preparedness in real time.
Norfolk resident Reagan Duncan isn’t old enough to drive, but she knew that scene on Hampton Boulevard was dangerous for cars.
“It’s not ideal to drive through all this,” said Duncan.
The Larchmont section of Norfolk is an area known to have flooding issues during storms.
“It happened a couple times back when I was really little, it flooded over there, and it was up to my chin,” said Duncan.
25-year-old Aaron Harris drove through the flood waters while driving home from work and got his car stuck.
“I’m frustrated that this is the only car that I have, and now I have no car,” said Harris.
News 3 saw drivers getting caught in the tidal flooding around 9 p.m. Thursday during high tide on Hampton Boulevard, Jamestown Crescent, and West Olney Road.
“We always use the term 'Turn around, don't drown,' so to just turn around, go away from that flooded area, and then find a different way to get to where you're going safely,” said Ryan Adcock, an AAA Representative.
Several cities were encouraging drivers to use the WAZE app to find potential flooded streets.
The storm also gave city leaders the opportunity to practice decision-making in real time.
Virginia Beach Director of Emergency Management David Topczynski said, “We were able to do things like exercise the new tide gates over for Windsor Woods, exercise our high water response plan."
Topczynski said the city saw little impact from the storm, but it is a good reminder that major storms can reach us.
“It can happen here, and it only takes one storm. Thankfully, these impacts were minor. It stayed off coast, but for a while...there was a lot of uncertainty as to where this track was going to take us, and we can get hit by a hurricane here," he said.
