Several homes were damaged, trees were downed and more than 2,000 utility customers lost power Sunday night after a tornado ripped through the shoreline near Virginia Beach, Virginia, authorities said.
It was not immediately clear if any injuries had been reported.
The vortex struck the Fort Story area along the Virginia Beach shoreline shortly before 6 p.m., National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Montefusco said.
The tornado left a distinctive signature on radar and other data analyzed by the weather service, he said, but its strength would not be known for hours. That usually means having weather experts on the ground, where they can see the path of destruction.
Virginia Beach Fire Department saying several houses were damaged and some had gas leaks.
The city of Virginia Beach said downed trees struck at least one home and one vehicle. Utility Dominion Energy said 2,635 customers were in the dark as of 8 p.m.
The area of the tornado was under a National Weather Service tornado warning at the time it struck.
The city and organizers canceled the third day of the Something in the Water music festival on the beach on Sunday, citing weather concerns.
«It was determined with great confidence that severe weather storm warnings tonight would impact the safety of all festival areas tonight,» the city said in a statement.
sarah kaufman and bryan gal contributed.