President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for North Carolina, enabling the federal government to provide Hurricane Ian-related equipment, money and other aid to the state, officials said Saturday.
FEMA will now coordinate all disaster-relief efforts in North Carolina and on lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, according to a FEMA news release on Saturday.
“Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the public assistance program, will be provided at 75% federal funding,” according to the release.
Four people have died in North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Ian, including two in wrecks, a man who drowned and another who was poisoned by carbon monoxide, Gov. Roy Cooper said Saturday.
“We mourn with the families of those who have died and urge everyone to be cautious while cleaning up to avoid more deaths or injuries,” Cooper said in a statement.
According to Cooper’s office, those who died in storm incidents since Friday morning were:
— A 25-year-old man who lost control of his vehicle on Raleigh Road in Johnston County and hydroplaned into another vehicle “in stormy conditions.”
— A 24-year-old woman who hit a tree in Clayton after veering off a wet road Friday afternoon.
— A 22-year-old man who drowned in Martin County when his truck left a roadway and became submerged in a flooded swamp Friday night
— A 65-year-old man who died in Johnston County of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator that was running in his closed garage while power in his home was out. His wife was hospitalized.
Cooper said “many hazards remain” across the state, including downed trees and power lines, and power outages.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, he said, about 210,000 people had no electricity. Outages peaked at about 418,000 just after 11 p.m. Friday, according to the governor’s office
The storm and its high winds and heavy rain caused damage and outages statewide. Ian brought down trees, power lines and poles across the state, Duke Energy reported Saturday.
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