VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — While Virginia Beach officials are concerned about areas of Sandbridge and Back Bay amid the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, there were few issues in those areas Thursday.
There wasn’t much overwash on roads in Sandbridge, which had been a concern for Virginia Beach’s emergency management officials. Around 4:50 p.m., the southerly winds started pushing water toward Sandbridge, but not enough to cover roads as of 6:30 p.m.
On one of the many canals that lead back to Back Bay in Sandbridge, there’s always concern when winds blow out of the south, as they push water back up into Sandbridge. However, on Thursday, there was little to no water on streets or on property.
“It hasn’t come up in the yard that much, but it had come up when this pier was lower to the water before it was rebuilt,” said Joan Alexander, who has lived on the canal since 1969. “It’s higher and the water use to come over the old lower pier all the time.”
She pointed to a much higher bulkhead that once had water over the top to it.
Back Bay is an area of concern for the Virginia Beach Director of Emergency Managment, Dave Topczynski.
“We are watching the Back Bay, Pungo and Blackwater area when the southern winds shift,” Topczynski said. “You know, with that prediction shifting later today to southern winds, we’re just keeping a close eye on the Back Bay areas, where we see those tidal winds driven floodings and what could mean for those roadways.”
Out on the beach in Sandbridge, rip current flags, one after another, were flapping in the wind.
“We are beach people, so we are here no matter what,” said Diana Peng of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, “and honestly, this is part of our vacation, so we make the most of it.”
Meanwhile, Janet McKechnie was out on the beach celebrating her 70th birthday.
“People have been coming and going, and flights had to be canceled because of travel plans being stopped,” McKechnie said. “We have other people thinking about coming down, and I’m saying come on down.”
