President Trump had phone calls with the governors of two states that are threatened by a strengthening hurricane and offered his support on Thursday.
As Hurricane Harvey is expected to make landfall in southeast Texas late Friday or early Saturday, Trump spoke to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards.
Both governors took to Twitter to reveal they had spoken to Trump, whom they said offered his administration’s help.
Spoke with Pres. Trump & heads of Homeland Security & FEMA. They’re helping Texas respond to #HurricaneHarvey. pic.twitter.com/dr0rig9DNK
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 24, 2017
Edwards has declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Louisiana, and Abbott did so for 30 counties in the path of the storm, which forecasters say will be a Category 3 storm when it hits Texas.
Spoke w/ @POTUS @realDonaldTrump this afternoon. He offered his full support to the people of LA as we prepare for #Harvey. #lagov #lawx
— Gov John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) August 24, 2017
Some coastal cities where Harvey is set to make landfall have issued voluntary and mandatory evacuations.
Readout on Trump call to @GovAbbott re: #Harvey, via Abbott’s office: pic.twitter.com/sur1wxMoAK
— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) August 24, 2017
The storm would be the first Category 3 hurricane to hit the U.S. since 2005. A Category 3 storm, according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, is considered a “major” hurricane and has sustained wind speeds between 111 miles per hour and 129 mph.
