Move FM Global News

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. President Donald on Friday declared that an emergency exists in Hawaii and ordered Federal assistance due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Douglas.

Hurricane Douglas is a Category 1 storm with sustained winds at 90 mph. It is currently just east of Kahului, Hawaii, and is moving west-northwest at 16 mph.

Douglas will be impacting the Hawaiian Islands Sunday and Monday with wind, rain and rough seas. There is also a threat of flash flooding and landslides due to the heavy rain forecast.

President Trump’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to combat the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui and the City and County of Honolulu.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.

Emergency protective measures, limited to direct Federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Pete Gaynor, Administrator, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security, has named Dolph A. Diemont as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.