Report at Pilotonline.com:
A Category 5 hurricane could cause $39 billion worth of residential damage and affect more than 250,000 properties in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas, the report says.
National Flood Insurance Program.
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#WeLoveShoreDrive 
The Lynnhaven estuary requires two tidal “flushes” a day to remain healthy; two high tides and two low tides. Without this flushing, our estuary would quickly get contaminated with road runoffs and have even more problems (fish kill off, dead zones, loss of sea grass, habitats, loss of oysters and crabs, etc.). Putting flood gates across the inlet to Lynnhaven may provide a cost efficient way of protecting the value of a significant amount of residential property, but would it be like the Dutch boy trying to put his fingers in the leaky dyke. The cost-benefit of such a project needs to be considered.
Flood gates like those built in Venice and by the Dutch installed at Lesner Bridge and Rudee inlet. Bang, problem solved. Aside from beach erosion issues no more homes flooded especially in the low lying Lynnhaven river, Broad Bay and Linkhorn basin areas and thier tributaries. But in the meantime we waste money on the new bridge with no flood mitigation benefits at all. IF…long pause…the ocean waters will continue to rise towards doomsday, very drastic and expensive measures need to start being taken now. And light rail isn’t one of them.
Amen
When is this perpetuation of horror mongering going to stop…. a CAT 5 in ANY developed area will cause that level damage ~ remember ANDREW ~ HUGO… ~ good grief! stop the hyperbole already. I can understand the Pilot; they must sensationalize and monger to sell a profit driven industry, but smart folks that tout the information leaves me scratching my head! Let’s ask the question based on DATA and FACTS… what are the probabilities and how many CAT5s in the last 150 years ! one….? perhaps? When was Willoughby formed ….late 1800’s
Virginia Beach’s hurricane of record for this century occurred in 1944 when a CAT 4 hit this area. The hurricane came up the coast and then took a westerly course right thru the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The highest recorded hurricane wind (gust?) in Virginia of 134 mph was recorded at the Cape Henry Lighthouse. Much damage was done, but it was played down because of the war and because of the Naval Base at Norfolk.
I think using history as the principle basis for future planning can lead to false assumptions, like a 500 year flood only occurs once every 500 years (Franklin, VA had two 500 year floods in one hurricane season). But, you have to base your planning on something. Maybe planning should be called “forecasting”. I think it all comes down to a Cost-Benefit-Analysis with a sprinkling of WAG and a pound of barometric luck.