Videos Show Tornado Hitting Virginia Beach As State of Emergency Declared

A state of emergency has been announced in Virginia Beach, Virginia, after a tornado swept through the coastal city.

Multiple videos have circulated on Twitter showcasing the tornado that touched down on Sunday.

One clip has been viewed more than 355,000 times since being posted and showed the vast size of the tornado from a distance.

WAVY News journalist Andy Fox captioned the clip: "George Pilkington Virginia Beach sent me this video. He shot this from his Porch on Bay Island. Reports [say] some boats overturned."

Another clip, from a similar location, shows the amount of debris in the air due to the twister.

Another clip posted on Twitter by WTKR3 meteorologist Kristy Steward read: "Viewer video of the Virginia Beach tornado that left lots of damage in parts of the Great Neck area earlier this evening."

Due to the intense weather conditions, the city of Virginia Beach issued a press release announcing a local state of emergency.

The press release read: "City Manager Patrick Duhaney declared a local state of emergency Sunday evening after a severe storm and tornado impacted communities in the northern part of the city.

"The total number of homes damaged is unknown but is estimated to be between 50 and 100.

"Great Neck Recreation Center, 2521 Shorehaven Drive, will be closed to the general public tomorrow, May 1, and will continue to serve exclusively to residents impacted by the storm starting at 7 a.m. Residents are encouraged to bring comfort items.

The closure will include the cancellation of all programs including After School care."

The press release noted that some roads may be closed due to the weather storm and also explained how the city will proceed regarding the necessary cleanup.

The press release said: "City crews will be out to pick up debris from public streets starting at 8 a.m. Residents who have trees that are contained entirely on their private property are responsible for their removal.

"Public Works recommends that residents speak with their insurance regarding coverage and deductibles before securing quotes or contracting with private tree removal companies.

"If residents use a private tree removal service, the contractor secured is responsible for removal of the debris as well."

The National Weather Service, Wakefield, Virginia page also addressed the tornado in Virginia Beach.

In a tweet, they wrote: "We've been getting a lot of questions regarding the tornado in Virginia Beach this evening.

"Based on the debris signature on radar, damage reports, and videos of the storm, we can confirm that there was a tornado. A survey will be conducted tomorrow to determine the rating."