EF3 tornado destroys more than 100 structures in Virginia Beach, officials say

More than 100 structures have been damaged by a confirmed and rare EF3 tornado in Virginia Beach, according to officials.

The tornado struck the Great Neck portion of Virginia Beach just before 6 p.m. on Sunday as severe storms moved through much of the East Coast, according to the National Weather Service.

The twister touched down near River Road and North Great Neck Road and carried winds between 140 mph and 150 mph, according to the City of Virginia Beach. The worst damage surveyed so far is along Haversham Close with numerous homes displaying EF3-type damage, according to the NWS.

Several nearby schools and roads are closed as a result.

City emergency management teams have assessed at least 115 damaged structures but that number is expected to rise as the tornado surveys continue, Virginia Beach Director of Emergency Management David Topczynski told reporters during a press conference on Monday.

Virginia Beach resident Jennifer Toppel told ABC News the tornado formed right above her home.

"We heard the roar and we quickly took cover, hiding in our pantry," Toppel said. "We could actually see snapped pine trees and debris flying 100 feet in the air."

As Toppel and her family took cover, Toppel's husband left the pantry to grab their dog and saw the tornado touch down in Lynnhaven River.

Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer described "massive" trees that were pulled up by the roots. Accommodations have been made for those who have been displaced as a result of the damage, he said.

"We’re blessed and grateful there was not a loss of life," Dyer said.

Sunday's tornado may be the strongest since an EF2 hit the area on March 31, 2017, records show. The National Weather Service will conduct a survey on Monday.

Virginia Beach City Manager Patrick Duhaney declared a local state of emergency Sunday night. There have been no reports of any injuries or fatalities as a result of the storm, city officials said.

Tornado warnings led to the cancellation of the third day of the Something in the Water music festival.

Tornado activity has been affecting much of the Southeast in the past week. Seven tornadoes were reported in Florida and Georgia on Thursday, and more tornadoes rolled through Florida's Atlantic coast on Saturday -- including a confirmed twister in Palm Beach.

The same storm system that allowed a tornado to form in Virginia Beach brought flooding conditions to the Northeast on Monday morning. Flash flood warnings were in effect in Maine, where up to 4 inches of rain have already fallen, with another 1 to 2 inches possible through Monday, forecasts show.

Some flooding in the region has caused road closures with the potential for more road washouts.

Flood warnings are also in effect in New Hampshire and parts of New Jersey.

ABC News' Kenton Gewecke, Lauren Minore and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.