NORFOLK, Va. — Floodwater overwhelmed the lanes in the eastbound Downtown Tunnel late Sunday afternoon.
A representative from the Elizabeth River Crossings said that one of their pumping systems at the Downtown Tunnel eastbound experienced a power surge that caused the controls to fail, resulting in the pumps not functioning around 5:30 p.m. Traffic was reduced to a single lane before officials closed the tunnel around 6 p.m.
About a foot of water pooled in the middle of the tunnel before the pumps started working again. All lanes were back open by around 8:30 p.m.
Motorist Courtney Stukes took a video of the flooded tunnel and said she made it through in her truck, but she had never seen anything like this.
"The safety of our motorists is our #1 priority. During severe weather, it’s important for all motorists to follow advisory messages on the roadways and detour instructions from tunnel personnel," a spokesperson for Elizabeth River Crossings said.