RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia State Police is reporting four deaths after storms ripped through Virginia Wednesday afternoon and evening. Three of the deaths were in Waverly and the fourth was in Appomattox County.
The Commonwealth was impacted by severe thunderstorms along with high winds and seven tornadoes throughout the day.
An Appomattox County man was found dead after his residence was destroyed by a reported funnel cloud that swept through the region of Evergreen and Red House.
The victim’s remains will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner for positive identification.
There were seven injures in total in Appomattox County.
Virginia State Police said three people were killed and eight others suffered minor injuries after a reported tornado hit the town of Waverly in Sussex County Wednesday afternoon.
A possible tornado hit Essex County Wednesday evening, resulting in destroyed homes and people causing multiple injuries.
At least 30 structures were damaged, with 15 completely destroyed. A total of 25 injuries were reported, ranging from minor to serious. There are no confirmed fatalities, according to Virginia State Police.
In response to Wednesday’s severe weather event, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency.
The declaration will enable public safety agencies including the Virginia National Guard, Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Virginia Department of Transportation to devote available resources to storm response and recovery.