People began fleeing coastal communities as Hurricane Henri neared Long Island and southern New England — forcing the early end of a major New York City event on Saturday night.
Driving the news: Hurricane warnings were in effect for parts of Long Island, New Haven, Connecticut; Westport Massachusetts, and Block Island. Widespread power outages were expected for the region.
The latest: Heavy rains interrupted the star-studded "We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert" — an event attended by thousands of music fans in what organizers had hailed as "a celebration of New York City's comeback" from the pandemic, per CNN.
- The New York City Police Department tweeted almost three hours after the concert began that event-goers should head to the nearest exits in Central Park "due to approaching severe weather."
- Authorities issued a mandatory evacuation order for some residents near the water in Madison, Connecticut, while those on Fire Island were urged to evacuate on Saturday evening, per AP.
Threat level: Henri was forecast to bring an array of potentially deadly threats, including storm surge flooding that could peak up to 5 feet above normally dry ground, from Long Island (including Long Island Sound) and east to Nantucket.
- The hurricane's biggest dangers were expected to be in the coastal storm surges and inland flooding from heavy rainfall.
The big picture: President Biden approved Rhode Island's emergency declaration on Saturday evening.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a state of emergency declaration Saturday for Long Island, New York City, Hudson Valley, Westchester and the Capital District region.
- He also called up 500 National Guard members to respond to likely flooding, along with 1,000 law enforcement officials who will be on duty in the affected areas.
- Cuomo said Biden told him he would sign a pre-landfall emergency declaration to provide the state with federal assistance to address the storm.
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency for the city Saturday afternoon.
In Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) called up 200 National Guard members, according to the Hartford Courant.
- Lamont said Friday that he planned to ask Biden for an emergency declaration.
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal said members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were staging supplies across the region, such as food, medicine and generators from the military base in Westover, Massachusetts, per the Courant.
On Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee signed an emergency declaration Friday ahead of Henri’s landfall, and said during a press briefing Saturday that five shelters across the state will open at approximately 8 p.m. He recommended that residents prepare for power outages and get supplies as soon as possible.
Of note: President Biden spoke by phone on Saturday with Northeastern Governors, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
- On the call, per the White House, Criswell "discussed the resources and supplies that FEMA is pre-positioning in the region, including over 700 response personnel, meals, tarps, and generators."
- "They also discussed what the utility companies are doing to prepare for the potential for widespread power outages, including by moving additional line and tree crews and other equipment from outside the affected region where assistance can be surged from if needed," according to the readout of the call.
Go deeper: Hurricane Henri poised to strike New England with storm surge, inland flooding, damaging winds
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout, and to correct the spelling of Lamont's surname.
