VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (WAVY) — In the Pungo section of Virginia Beach, melons, peaches, tomatoes, and corn are overflowing in display trays at the Flip Flop produce stand in the heart of the farming community.
Owner Bruce Henley planted the corn in stages, so he still has several acres of crops in the ground that are not ready for harvest. With Hurricane Isaias bearing down on the East Coast, he’s worried Mother Nature will bring an early end to the corn season.
“We have a lot of sweet corn. We are picking every day. If we get 60 to 70 mph winds, it could blow the corn level flat,” said Henley.
From the Princess Anne district to the North Carolina line, Public Works crews in Virginia Beach are preparing for a storm that could drag water from the Albemarle Sound all the way to the heart of southern Virginia Beach. Public Works crews outside Ashville Park tested a pump system Friday to make sure it can send overflow to Back Bay.
Parts of Ashville Park resembled Venice, Italy, in the fall of 2016 when a downgraded Hurricane Matthew battered the Virginia coast.
Since then, the city has spent $53 million on pumps and other measures to prevent widespread damage to homes and businesses in along Baker Road, Bellamy Manor, South Lake Holly Sherwood Lakes, Windsor Woods, Princess Anne Plaza, Eastern Shore Drive, Cape Henry, Ashville Park, and New Bridge.
While the city is doing the heavy lifting — checking pumps, clearing storm drains and removing flags and banners at the Oceanfront — officials are calling on homeowners and businesses to do their part to help reduce potential problems.
The city recommends that you remove and secure loose objects in your yard, sign up for VB alerts, visit ready.gov for storm preparation tips, and create a family emergency plan.
