Vice President Mike Pence says people in the path of Hurricane Laura should heed warnings about the strength of the storm and he pledged the Trump administration's help.
He said, “Stay safe and know that we'll be with you every step of the way.”
Pence spoke at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, as he “humbly” accepted the GOP's nomination for vice president at the Republican National Convention. It was not clear until just before he took the stage that he would address the looming Category 4 hurricane.
The strengthening storm menaced Texas and Louisiana along the Gulf Coast, raising fears of a 20-foot (6-metre) storm surge that forecasters said would be “unsurvivable".
Authorities implored coastal residents of Texas and Louisiana to evacuate, but not everyone did before winds began buffeting trees back and forth.
Published 27 August 2020, 05:58 IST