Virginia

Health department urges preparedness ahead of peak storm season • Virginia Mercury

Published

8 months ago

September 24, 2024

Health department urges preparedness ahead of peak storm season • Virginia Mercury

September is National Preparedness Month and the Virginia Department of Health is encouraging residents to get ready as the state enters into peak storm season.

“Be prepared,” said Bob Mauskapf, VDH director of the office of emergency preparedness, “for anything that you can think of that you would be without.”

The Virginia Department of Health is part of the state’s Virginia Emergency Support Team, or VEST, responsible for monitoring health impacts from mold showing up in flooded homes, the transfer of diseases through mosquitoes that congregate near collections of water and resulting hospital surges, and more. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management spearheads the team, which includes several other state agencies.

Earlier this year, North America switched from its dryer El Niño season into a wetter La Niña one, which happens every two to seven years. The change prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to predict there could be an increase in damaging named storms this year.

Millions of people were left without power in Texas this summer and at least three died after encountering Hurricane Beryl, the second, and perhaps most devasting, storm of this season. So far this year, Virginia has only issued a state of emergency for Tropical Storm Debby, the fourth storm of the season. Debby didn’t hit Virginia as hard as North Carolina, but preliminary findings confirmed tornado touchdowns in Glendie and Willisville, where winds were estimated to have reached 90 and 100 miles per hour, respectively.

“(Debby) was a grazing blow to us,” said Mauskapf, adding the storm season that runs until Nov. 30 “has not come to fruition.” But Virginia’s “highest incidence of Tropical Storm Activity in the area is usually October and early November. We’re entering into, if you will, the height of the Atlantic basin hurricane season,” he said.

Last week, Virginia braced for increased rain from Tropical Cyclone 8, a storm that typically moves in a circular pattern, unlike a derecho that runs in a straight line across a region, Mauskapf explained. Rain left the state sooner than expected, but water levels on the James River at Sewell Point in the Norfolk area reached as high as 4.87 feet, over a foot above ground level, on the eve of Sept. 17.

Winds as strong as 15 miles per hour from the northeast prevented water from receding, and so it lingered in that area. Weekend rain led to water levels in that same area rising over 5 feet Sunday night into Monday.

A screenshot of the National Weather Prediction Service’s reading of the James River at Sewell Point. (Courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

To prepare for the next bout of severe weather, the VDH is urging people to charge phones, keep backup power on hand, fill up gas tanks, safely store perishable food and, have a first aid kit. Sheltering options are available through one of VDH’s 35 local departments across the state and, in the event of emergencies, additional safe spaces are coordinated with universities.

The State Corporation Commission, which oversees that state’s insurance, is also urging residents to maintain updated policies, which can include “essential” flood insurance to repair damage to homes as government assistance can lag and the threat of flooding is expected to continue. It’s a familiar danger in Virginia, in the short and long term.

Located on the East Coast, Norfolk experiences the fastest rate of sea level rise in the country at 5.38 millimeters a year, which prompted the locality to propose a $2.6 million flood wall project. The state’s Coastal Resilience Master Plan, due for an update at the end of this year, states “the number of residents living in homes exposed to major coastal flooding is projected to grow from approximately 360,000 to 943,000, an increase of 160%.”

In Southwest Virginia, the towns of Hurley and Whitewood were pummeled with four to six inches of rain in 2021 and 2022, respectively, leading state emergency officials to explore ways of filling in gaps for post-storm relief. Scientists have said what happened in those smaller localities is a result of climate change: intenser, more frequent storms. Officials are now challenged with how to deploy resources in the face of increasingly violent weather.

“We don’t deal in climate change or forecasting. We do deal in the results of climate change,” said Mauskapf. “So we prepare our plans and our messaging, for these types of more frequent storms, higher temperatures, lower temperatures, whatever we may see. It’s the same threat.”

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Virginia

Five children hospitalized after Wythe County crash

Published

3 hours ago

May 24, 2025

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Five children hospitalized after Wythe County crash

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – Five children were hospitalized after a crash on I-81, mm 57.4 southbound in Wythe County Saturday, May 24, according to Virginia State Police.

Virginia State Police investigated a crash at 9 a.m., which resulted in multiple injuries and I-81 southbound completely blocked.

The driver of a Ford Transit passenger van struck a tractor trailer, according to police. Police say five children ranging from ages 1-8 were in the van, and all of them were hospitalized. All thirteen passengers have injuries, and most are non-life-threatening, according to police. Police say three Med Flight helicopters transported two individuals to a hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the van, 39-year-old Harikanth Gaddam of Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, was charged with reckless driving.

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Virginia

Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for May 23, 2025

Published

19 hours ago

May 24, 2025

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Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for May 23, 2025

The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 23, 2025, results for each game:

Mega Millions

Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

07-18-40-55-68, Mega Ball: 18

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 5-7-9, FB: 4

Day: 6-7-8, FB: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 8-8-7-6, FB: 3

Day: 1-5-2-1, FB: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 7-8-9-9-6, FB: 6

Day: 9-2-5-7-8, FB: 8

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash4Life

Drawing everyday at 9 p.m.

12-31-37-53-59, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash Pop

Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.

Coffee Break: 13

After Hours: 04

Prime Time: 10

Rush Hour: 12

Lunch Break: 04

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash 5

Drawing every day at 11 p.m.

07-15-24-36-41

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Virginia

1.2 million Virginians expected to travel for Memorial Day despite economic concerns and rising gas prices

Published

1 day ago

May 23, 2025

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1.2 million Virginians expected to travel for Memorial Day despite economic concerns and rising gas prices

RICHMOND, Va. — Nearly 1.23 million Virginians are expected to travel over the Memorial Day holiday weekend despite economic concerns, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

The number is slightly higher than last year but represents the lowest year-over-year growth rate for the holiday in nearly a decade.

“We know that economic uncertainty, cost of goods, things like that, is top of mind for a lot of people. So, that could be part of the reason why the growth this year isn’t as much as it’s been over the past couple of years,” AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Morgan Dean said.

More than one million Virginians will drive to their holiday destinations, AAA reported. Dean said that figure is very similar to the record number of travelers who hit the road for Memorial Day back in 2005.

“It’s going to be busy no matter how you’re traveling, be it getting to the airport or if you’re hitting the roadway or perhaps hitting the railways or grabbing a bus,” he said. “There’s going to be a good amount of people out there, and that’s a big reminder.”

AAA shared that gas prices are on the rise, but they’re still about 40 cents cheaper than this time last year.

Meanwhile, Virginia State Police warned all available troopers and supervisors will be working over the holiday weekend.

VSP said their troopers investigated 13 fatalities on Virginia’s roads during the four-day holiday last year.

Troopers cited more than 3,500 drivers for speeding and 1,400 drivers for reckless driving during that time period last year. They arrested 92 people for driving under the influence and cited 303 drivers for violating the “hands-free” phone law.

The state’s “Click it or Ticket” campaign is in full effect this weekend, too.

“This is a tremendously busy time of year, with graduations, vacations, parties and moves,” Superintendent of Virginia State Police Colonel Matthew Hanley said. “We need Virginians to slow down, to exercise patience, drive safely and arrive alive. We would rather you arrive late and alive than not at all.”

Funds generated from summonses issued by Virginia State Police go directly to court fees and the state’s Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.

This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.

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