Delmarva prepares for Hurricane Joaquin

As of Wednesday, Joaquin is now considered a category 1 hurricane and could be around the Delmarva peninsula by early next week. 47 ABC spoke to a member of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and they say preparation is key.

“In any case whether the hurricane tracks toward Maryland or not I think it’s very important that we will be experiencing heavy rainfall throughout the state over the next few days through Sunday again any action that you can take ahead of time before the first rain drop even hits you could be very beneficial.” says Chas Eby from MEMA.

MEMA is coordinating with local partners and counties to make sure generators and emergency supplies are ready within the next few days. They are also communicating with the National Weather Service to keep up with the latest updates.

It is not out of the ordinary for Delmarva to get hit by hurricanes. Parts of Delmarva are still bouncing back from the effects of past hurricanes. Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast of the U.S. in late August 2011. One year later Hurricane Sandy hit making
it the second costliest hurricane in United States history causing 75 billion dollars  in damages.

Coastal communities like Crisfield in Maryland were underwater for days followed by years of recovery efforts. With the possibility of heavy flooding with Joaquin, MEMA is telling residents to have evacuation plans in case of an emergency. Residents can also do a few things around the house to prevent flooding and damage to their belongings.
     
“If you own a home or live in a home it is important to clean your storm drains and gutters ahead of time which will prevent overflow and water build up. You should fuel your automobile before any storm. If you have a basement in your house you need to shelve your household items and make sure any electrical equipment is not lying directly on the floor,” says Eby.