Three tornadoes destroyed homes, tossed cars and injured more than 200 people on Monday as they carved through central and southeastern Virginia.

A house in Driver, Va., was blown open by a tornado on Monday. (Dennis Tennant/Associated Press)

Virginia State Gov. Timothy M. Kaine declared a state of emergency for the areas in the southeastern part of the state struck by the twisters.

The National Weather Service confirmed that tornadoes struck Suffolk, Colonial Heights and Brunswick County. Meteorologist Bryan Jackson described Suffolk's as a "major tornado."

Bob Spieldenner from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management said at least 200 were injured in Suffolk and 18 others were injured in Colonial Heights.

"Multiple buildings have been destroyed, homes have been destroyed," Suffolk city spokeswoman Dana Woodson said.

Woodson said Suffolk's community of Driver was hardest hit.

In Driver, downed trees and power lines covered the streets. A vending machine was tilted on its side, leaning up against a pile of rubble that had been the general store in a small shopping district.

"It's just a bunch of broken power poles, telephone lines and sad faces," said Richard Allbright, who works for a tree removal service in Driver and had been out for hours trying to clear the roads.

The community's Sentara Obici Hospital was damaged but still able to treat patients.

Sentara hospital spokesman Dale Gauding said about 60 injured people were being treated there, and he expected most to be released.

"We have lots of cuts and bruises" and arm and leg injuries, he said. The hospital's windows were cracked, apparently by debris from a damaged shopping centre across the street.

In Colonial Heights, south of the state capital of Richmond, the storm overturned cars and damaged buildings in the Southpark Mall area.

Property damage also was reported in Brunswick County, one of several localities where the weather service had issued a tornado warning. Sgt. Michelle Cotten of the Virginia State Police said a twister destroyed two homes. Trees and power lines were down, and some flooding was reported.

About 9,000 customers remained without service Monday night.