Video: Downpour drenches Hampton Roads

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VIRGINIA BEACH –  A lightning strike shocked a mailman on rounds Wednesday afternoon, police say.

It happened around 3:00 p.m. in the 500 block of Sweeney Rd. in the Birchwood neighborhood.

Officials with the US Postal Service tell 13News the carrier felt a tingling sensation rush through his body.

Greg Thompson was arriving home and saw the commotion.

"We happened to look over and we saw the mail truck on the side of the road and the mailman was sitting in the yard," he said.

Authorities say the man was taken to Sentara Va. Beach General Hospital for treatment.

Meantime, in Norfolk, an apparent lightning strike sparked fire that burned a man’s vehicle.

It happened just around 3:50 p.m. on 20th Street.

A 13News photographer went to the scene and talked with a man who says lightning struck a tree and then went into his Jeep.

No one was hurt.

Norfolk Fire officials confirm they're checking out reports of lighting strikes in the Wards Corner area.

In Portsmouth, there's a report of a tree down in the road at Leckie Street and Guthrie Road.

The storm started as the afternoon rush was on, creating puddles on the roads and causing some accidents.

Dominion Virginia Power is reporting more than 18,000 customers without power as of 5:45 p.m.