Virginia is opening a disaster center in Suffolk this morning to help people whose homes and businesses were destroyed or damaged by a huge tornado on Monday.

The disaster response center opens at 10 a.m. in the Suffolk City Recreation Center at 350 Kings Fork Rd. People will be able to speak to insurance regulators and carriers, state mental health professionals and emergency managers, representatives of the American Red Cross and United Way, and city officials in Suffolk.

Services include crisis counseling, information on temporary housing, disaster recovery and other assistance available to victims of the tornado, which caused more than $21 million in damages in Suffolk, destroying 59 buildings and causing extensive damage to 75 others with winds estimated at 160 miles per hour. Statewide, eight tornadoes caused almost $25 million in damages on Monday.Tax information also will be available from the Internal Revenue Service at the center, which will operate from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day at least through Sunday. For more information, call the center at (757) 514-7244.