US declares state of emergency in Alabama following Hurricane Michael
(VOVWORLD) - US President Donald Trump declared Saturday that an emergency exists in Alabama and ordered federal assistance due to conditions resulting from Hurricane Michael, the 3rd-most powerful ever to strike the US.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.
US officials said 17 people were killed and more than 1,000 houses were destroyed due to the hurricane, affecting agricultural production and daily life of 3,500 people. The US Department of Agriculture reported that the storm caused 1.9 billion USD in damage to farmers, leading to crop losses on 1.5 million hectares of farmland.