VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WVEC) -- Significant structural damage was reported at the Oceanfront Thursday afternoon as a result of afternoon thunderstorms. Ten people were injured and six of those were transported to the hospital, Beach spokeswoman Amy Valdez told 11Alive's Norfolk sister station WVEC.
Two of the patients are in critical condition but their injuries are not considered life-threatening, according to Sentara spokesman Dale Gauding. Two children were injured from flying glass, a woman has a knee injury and a man has a broken ankle.
Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital deployed its mass casualty bus and a clinical team to Virginia Beach Blvd. and Parks Avenue to help triage and transport patients affected by the weather event at the Oceanfront.
Police advise residents to stay away from the Oceanfront so emergency crews can respond.
"Police, fire and EMS as well as public utilities/Dominion Power need complete access," officials said.
Due to a downed tree and power line on Sandbridge Road, the Virginia Beach Police Department is facilitating an opening of the back gate of the Dam Neck Navy Installation so that access to and from Sandbridge can occur.
It is anticipated that the gate opening will be accessible to the public at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The steeple was ripped from the roof of Beachlawn Baptist Church at the Oceanfront.
More than 8,000 customers were without power in Virginia Beach around 4 p.m. but significant progress has been made by work crews to get the lights back on for residents. Several traffic lights are also out. Officials say several traffic lights are out in the Kempsville area.
The CBBT was operating with Level 4 wind restrictions but have since been lifted. Winds were in excess of 60 mph, officials said.
The Midtown Tunnel closed because of water in the tube, but has reopened. ERT will perform a single lane closure at the Midtown Tunnel Thursday from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday morning in order to perform emergency maintenance of the drain system. Traffic will alternate in each direction in the remaining open lane.
