Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards on Saturday requested a federal emergency declaration from the White House, as Tropical Storms Marco and Laura are forecast to impact both states in quick sequence early next week.
Trump declared that an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts. The President is expected to approve Abbott’s request later today.
Hurricane Marco is expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Monday before moving towards Texas on Tuesday evening as a depression. This hurricane is expected to bring heavy rain and tropical storm force winds
“As Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura approach Texas, the state is taking necessary precautions to protect our communities and keep Texans safe,” said Governor Abbott. “I urge Texans in the path of these storms to plan ahead and heed the guidance of their local officials. The State of Texas is working with local and federal partners to monitor these storms and provide the resources our communities need to respond.”
“In the past 24 hours, the tracks of these two storms have changed dramatically and in a way that is unfavorable for our state. This is unlike anything we have seen, with two hurricanes expected to impact our state nearly back to back. This may mean that people will have to shelter in place for more than 72 hours and that there may not be time to do things like restore lost power between the two storms,” Gov. Edwards said. “I encourage everyone to begin their emergency preparations now, as some areas of the state may be impacted by two storms. You should be heeding the advice of your local officials, and it is incredibly important that you take precautions to account for COVID-19, including having masks and sanitation supplies if you do leave your home. If you shelter in place, you should only do so with your immediate household to continue to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state.”
