States Prepare Ahead of Hurricane Joaquin
Hurricane Joaquin could soon make its way to the East Coast. The storm's maximum sustained winds are near 130 mph -- making it a dangerous Category 4 hurricane.
Right now it's stalled over the Bahamas, which is being hammered by torrential rains and flooding.
East Coast states have already been saturated with heavy rain and flooded roads from another system.
Governors have declared states of emergency in at least five states as forecasters warn of flash floods from Charleston, South Carolina, to Washington, D.C., from Joaquin.
Residents in New Jersey are preparing with lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy.
"There is no question, listen, I'm much better prepared," Gov. Chris Christie said. "For the folks who are up here, who lived through Sandy, they are all much better prepared."
Why is Hurricane Joaquin expected to be so intense? Dr. George Huffman with NASA breaks down the science behind the storm. Click play to hear him show us an new 3-D view of the hurricane.
The National Hurricane Center said the danger of Hurricane Joaquin striking the East Coast appears to have diminished. Nevertheless, forecasters are keeping a close eye on the storm.
Meanwhile, CBN's Operation Blessing is getting disaster relief teams ready to respond to possible damage from Joaquin.
They're teaming up with churches along the Northeastern Seaboard, as well as with local, state, and national emergency agencies.
Emergency response teams have been stocking up equipment to get it ready for deployment.
"The resources that we have are standing ready to help residents in the United States," said Jody Getty, vice president of U.S Disaster Relief for Operation Blessing. "We will be there to help, provide relief in real time, but most importantly to share the love of God."
