As the storms closed in, U.S. military officials were making preparation for potential rescues and to keep aircraft safe from harm. The Coast Guard, which rescued thousands of people in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey flooded the Houston area, has aircraft and shallow-water response boat teams on standby to be used as necessary, said Lt. John Edwards, a Coast Guard spokesman. They could be repositioned as the storm’s path becomes more clear. “It’s important to remember that the Coast Guard’s ability to respond during the storm will be greatly diminished if not impossible,” Edwards said. More aircraft evacuations are expected as the path of the storms become more clear.

Source: Washington Post August 24, 2020 12:40 UTC