Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency in Mississippi in preparation for Hurricane Ida and ordered federal assistance in response efforts.
The White House said in a statement that declaring a state of emergency authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts aimed at alleviating the hardship and suffering that the emergency causes on local residents and provide appropriate assistance to those affected.
Hurricane Ida intensified over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee coastal areas, while Biden pledged assistance to help states recover quickly once the storm is over.
Ida, now a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to hit Louisiana.
