State of emergency declared in Virginia to prepare for Florence
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Saturday for the potential impact from what is currently Tropical Storm Florence.
The storm is churning in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to strengthen over the next several days.
"While the impacts of Tropical Storm Florence to Virginia are still uncertain, forecasts increasingly expect the storm to strengthen into a major hurricane that could seriously affect the East Coast and Virginians," said Northam. "Accordingly, I am declaring a state of emergency so that we can begin to prepare state assets, and I encourage Virginians to monitor forecasts and make their own preparations now."
A state of emergency allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources to assist in storm response and recovery efforts.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management is encouraging residents to prepare for possible high winds, storm surge and significant flooding.
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