In response to a request from Hawaii’s governor, President Trump has declared the eruption of Mount Kilauea a «major disaster.»
In response to a request from Hawaii’s governor, President Trump has declared the eruption of Mount Kilauea a «major disaster.»
On Friday, the White House released the following statement:
Gov. David Ige asked Trump in a letter to declare a major disaster, which makes federal emergency funds available to assist in recovery.
Ige said in a statement:
The disaster could cost upwards of $2.9 million over the next month – and that would only include the temporary efforts to protect those affected by the volcanic activity. According to Governor Ige, repairing permanent damage will require additional funds.
On May 3, Hawaii entered a state of emergency as volcanic activity began at Mount Kilauea.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has issued an «orange warning» for Kilauea, saying the volcano has «very high threat potential.» The lava lake in the volcano’s crater has been going down and if the lava drops low enough to meet groundwater, the resulting steam could produce explosions.
Nearby Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, is also rated as a «very high threat potential» by the Observatory.
