Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for more than two dozen eastern Florida counties as Hurricane Dorian approaches.
The National Hurricane Center is expecting a “major” Category 3 hurricane to make landfall over the Florida Peninsula over Labor Day weekend. Although forecasters caution the long-term forecast could shift, the 5 p.m. update from the agency showed the forecast cone covering the entire state.
DeSantis, a first-term Republican governor, said announced Wednesday that he had signed an executive order that well help state and local governments better prepare for the storm and coordinate with federal agencies.
“Today, I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure Florida is fully prepared for Hurricane Dorian,” said DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday. “It’s important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely. Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster. I will continue to monitor Hurricane Dorian closely with emergency management officials. The state stands ready to support all counties along the coast as they prepare.”
A total of 26 counties are covered by the order.
Here are the 5 PM AST/EDT August 28 Key Messages for Hurricane #Dorian. For more information see: https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/uu34UdDYoW
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 28, 2019
Dorian reached hurricane strength earlier in the day, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
President Trump made a federal emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Tuesday, unlocking resources for disaster response and relief. Earlier on Wednesday, he said his administration was “closely” tracking Dorian, which is the fourth named storm and the second hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season.
