VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Sandbridge Road in Virginia Beach reopened Monday evening after it was shut down for almost six hours due to storm flooding.
That’s a familiar sight for the Sandbridge community.
“There are a lot of times when we wake up and our whole house is surrounded by water,” said resident Danielle Orman.
High south winds and rain flooded parts of Sandbridge Road on Monday. By dusk, Orman’s home off a nearby road was still surrounded by water.
“Luckily [flooding in] our driveway went down,” Orman said.
Virginia Beach Police closed the road at 2:30 p.m. and the city’s public works team placed high water signs in trouble areas.
The road was back open by 8:30 p.m., but flooding worries are constant for those that live there.
It was a close call for staff at Tabernacle United Methodist Church, just off Sandbridge Road. Last year they canceled Easter services because of flooding.
“The water came to about five feet of the doors around the brick building, again,” said Pastor Jack Davis. “So, I was praying real hard, 'Lord don’t do it again.'”
Flooding in April 2019 forced Pastor Davis to take Easter service online. It could have happened again this year, with this storm hitting just one day after past Easter Sunday.
“Except the coronavirus beat it to the punch,” Davis said.
Fortunately, the church was spared as south winds and rain died down midday.
“The water is already receding, the wind has already shifted and we are very grateful for that,” Davis said.
Orman said she is constantly checking the weather and is thankful her house sits a little higher.
“We have a couple of neighbors where the water gets pretty close if not into their house,” Orman said.
She said there is one way in and out of her street, so she hopes for a permanent flooding solution.
“Everyone is struggling, and it is hard to financially bounce back from something like this if it did actually get into our house,” Orman said.