For updates on the hurricane and its effects on Virginia, please visit http://vaemergency.com, http://www.facebook.com/VAemergency or http://twitter.com/vdem.
For a full list of road closures and conditions, click http://www.511virginia.org/mobile/?menu_id=conditions
Information from the VA Dept of Emergency Management
Impact to Virginia
- Two storm-related traffic fatalities have been confirmed by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The deaths occurred in the Central Region of the state. Additional details are not yet available. No other storm-related deaths have been reported
- It’s too early to know the extent of damage, but efforts will be getting under way soon to make some evaluations.
- No storm-related traffic fatalities reported.
- No major communications outages are reported.
- 280 roads, mostly secondary roads, are closed across the state. Road conditions in several areas of the Commonwealth are very slick because of rain, snow, black ice and/or wet leaves. Motorists are urged to use caution when driving.
Power Outages
- At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, reported power outages were at 181,000 statewide. The greatest increases in outages overnight occurred in northern and southwest Virginia.
Governor's Actions
- The governor issued a limited mandatory evacuation order for low-lying areas in coastal Virginia. This order gives authority to local government officials to determine specific locations to be evacuated and times that evacuations will start, based on best information about the storm's impact.
- The governor declared a state of emergency Friday, Oct. 26, at 9:50 a.m. to help quickly get supplies, equipment and staff to those who need it.
- Due to the significant statewide impact of Hurricane Sandy, the Governor has ordered that all Executive Branch non-Higher Education agencies across the Commonwealth will be closed on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. Only employees designated as “essential” should report to work.
- Institutions of Higher Education should apply their normal closing procedures.
- Agencies should encourage telework as appropriate. In addition, supervisors should be generous in approving unplanned annual leave requests in the event of identified potential or perceived threats to employee safety.
President's Actions
- President Obama signed an emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered federal aid to supplement commonwealth and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Sandy beginning on October 26, 2012, and continuing.
FEMA
- FEMA urges individuals along the East Coast and areas inland to continue to monitor NOAA Weather Radio and their local news for updates and directions provided by their local officials. State and local officials make determinations and announcements about evacuations. We urge the public to listen to the instructions of officials, and if told to evacuate – evacuate.
- States, localities and the Red Cross have been opening up emergency shelters along the East Coast as local officials have announced evacuations along the coast and low-lying areas. The FEMA smartphone app provides safety tips and displays open shelter information at http://www.fema.gov/smartphone-app.
- To find a shelter, people can download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit the Red Cross web site http://www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This site also connects with the Twitter and Facebook accounts of users.
Traffic Information
- DC Metro will open Tuesday at 2pm.
- Most Amtrak Service in the Northeast remains suspended on Tuesday, October 30. Customers are encouraged to monitor Amtrak.com/alerts
- For a full list of road closures and conditions, click http://www.511virginia.org/mobile/?menu_id=conditions
- The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry (JSF) service resumed normal service as of 5 a.m.
- VDOT reinstated High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane restrictions on all Hampton Roads interstates.
- All Hampton Roads bridges and tunnels are open.
- HOV restrictions are lifted in Northern Virginia.
- DC Metro services still suspended Tuesday.
- Interstate routes in southwestern Virginia have scattered snow and ice patches.
- Many primary and secondary roads in southwest Virginia are snow covered or have snow and ice patches.
A Message to Motorists
- If a traffic signal is out, drivers are advised to treat the intersection as a four way stop.
- Never drive through water flowing across a road. It takes only six to 12 inches of water to float a small vehicle.
- Never drive around barricades. Remember, the road has been closed for your safety.
- Slow down when driving through standing water. Driving too fast through water could cause you to lose control and hydroplane.
- Avoid flood-prone areas, especially along creeks and other low-lying areas. Water in those areas can rise quickly and without warning during heavy rains.
- Limit travel during height of storm.
- Monitor local weather and traffic reports before getting into the car.
- Before heading out the door, get the latest road conditions by calling 511, visit www.511virginia.org or download the mobile app from the 511 web site.
- Use 9-1-1 only in emergencies. Dial #77 on cell phone to report traffic crashes or traffic emergencies to State Police.
- State law requires headlights to be on when windshield wipers are activated.
- Motorists must use extreme caution on the road and never attempt to drive through flood waters.
- Remain alert to avoid fallen trees.
- Drive free of distractions and always buckle up.
Additional Information
- State offices in Richmond are closed Tuesday, October 30, 2012.
- Federal government in DC is closed Tuesday, October 30, 2012.
- The Virginia Emergency Operations Center is coordinating the state’s response with increased staffing 24 hours a day.
Resources
What should residents be doing now?
- Stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for instructions and information.
- If you have the interest and the resources, please consider a donation to the Virginia Disaster Relief Fund: https://payments.vi.virginia.gov/donatenow
- If power is out, use flashlights, not candles. Remember – Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Do not bring generators into the house. Don’t use camp stoves and lanterns without ventilation. Never use stoves for heating. Any of these can cause deadly buildup of carbon monoxide. If using a space or kerosene heater, practice proper safety procedures. Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as long as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
Shelters
17 shelters are open in 13 localities with 529 people. The best source for local shelter information is local government officials and local media reports.
As of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, these localities have open shelters:
Accomack County – 2 New Kent County
Fairfax County Norfolk City
Fauquier County Northampton County
Greene County - 2 Northumberland County
Madison County Prince William County - 2
Manassas City Richmond City -2
Shenandoah County
Numbers to Call for Information
- 2-1-1 Virginia is serving as the public inquiry number for Virginia residents.
- 5-1-1 is to be used for the latest in road conditions. Only call 9-1-1 in a true emergency.
- #77 on a cell phone to report a traffic crash or traffic emergency
- Residents should call their locality’s non-emergency number for updated storm-related and shelter information. Only call 9-1-1 in a true emergency.
- vaemergency.gov – Go online or on your smart phone for statewide storm updates.
- @vdem – Twitter feed for storm updates from the VA Dept. of Emergency Management
- VAemergency – Facebook page for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
Numbers to report power outages
- Dominion Power: 1-866-366-4357 (or visit www.dom.com on your computer or smart phone)
- Rappahannock: 1-800-552-3904
- Northern Neck: 1-866-663-2688
- APCO: 1-800-956-4237.
- NOVEC: 1-888-335-0500
To report a cable outage
Natural Gas
- Washington Gas: If you smell gas, or in the event of a natural gas emergency, call 911 and Washington Gas at 703-750-1400 or 1-800-752-7520. Important safety tips for using portable generators (PDF): http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/portgen.pdf
- Columbia Gas of Virginia: If you smell the odor of gas or if there is evidence of a gas leak, from a safe place call 911 and Columbia Gas at 1-800-544-5606 immediately.