Washington: US President Donald Trump approved emergency declarations for ten states across the Southeast late Saturday afternoon as the impact of a powerful winter storm continues to affect wide areas of the country. In a post on the Truth Social platform, the president said the emergency declarations cover Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and West Virginia.
According to Emirates News Agency, Trump stated that the administration is working closely with governors and the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of ongoing preparations to address the repercussions of the storm. Earlier Saturday, the president approved emergency declarations for other states in the storm’s path, including South Carolina and Virginia. Emergency declarations temporarily eliminate some spending barriers, allowing state governments to more rapidly supply resources and appeal for federal aid.
At least 20 states have declared a state of emergency: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Around 120,000 power outages were reported in the path of the winter storm Saturday, including about 50,000 each in Texas and Louisiana.
The storm also led to the cancellation of around 13,000 flights across the United States on Saturday and Sunday.
