President Joe Biden approved Rhode Island’s declaration of emergency for Hurricane “Henri”

United States President Joe Biden on Saturday approved the declaration of emergency in the state of Rhode Island, and ordered federal aid to support the efforts of local authorities in the face of Hurricane ‘Henri’.

The president’s decision authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), part of the Department of Homeland Security, to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to “alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency (climate) in the local population ”, as reported by the White House in a press release.

It also gives free rein to the application of emergency measures, authorized under the Fifth Title of Stafford’s Law, “Save lives and protect property and health”, as well as public safety and “lessen or avoid the threat of disaster” in the counties of Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington, as well as the Narragansett Indian tribe.

“FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion the equipment and resources necessary to mitigate the impacts of the emergency”, said the White House, which stressed that such emergency protection measures will be provided “with 75 percent of federal funds.”

These decisions were made in the context of Hurricane ‘Henri’ advancing towards the northeastern coasts of the United States, and before it made landfall, as expected, this Sunday. The meteorological phenomenon threatens to be accompanied by strong winds and dangerous storm surges, as well as flooding.

Henri became a Category 1 hurricane this Saturday and is expected to make landfall on the northeast coast of the United States on SundayUS meteorologists reported.

“Henry is expected to be nearly hurricane force when he hits the coasts of Long Island and southern New England,” said the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Maximum sustained winds increased to around 120 km / h with higher gustsadded the center.

Henri, el third hurricane in 2021 in the Atlantic basin, puts millions of people on alert who live in the area where the impact will occur, unaccustomed to the arrival of cyclones.

THE AUTHORITIES ASK FOR CAUTION

Faced with the threat, several governors called on the population to be cautious.

Henri could be the first hurricane to hit Long Island directly since the 1980s. To New Yorkers: take it seriously. Prepare TODAY for the storm that arrives Sunday. Watch the local forecast and stay safe, ”New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo asked in a tweet on Saturday.

“I declared a state of emergency in the face of Hurricane Henri”Cuomo also announced, clarifying that he had ordered the preventive deployment of 500 National Guard troops.

“Prepare for heavy rains, strong winds and power outages”, He also warned residents of potentially affected areas of New York state.

The cultural and economic capital of the United States he still painfully remembers Hurricane Sandy, which killed 44 people in 2012.

In Massachusetts, home to the city of Boston, Governor Charlie Baker called on “everyone to avoid unnecessary travel,” especially in coastal areas.

In this state, where all beaches and parks will be closed between Saturday and Monday, the hurricane could cause power outages affecting between 100,000 and 300,000 inhabitantsthe authorities said.

(With AFP and Europa Press information)

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