Florida governor declares state of emergency in preparation for Tropical Storm Erika

Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in preparation for the arrival of Tropical Storm Erika.

The tropical storm recently spread heavy rains and gusty winds into the Dominican Republic, according to the United States’ National Hurricane Center, and the storm has been blamed for at least 12 deaths.

As of early Friday morning, Tropical Storm Erika was traversing the northeastern Carribean Sea with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour (mph) and is expected to “travel up the spine of Florida’s peninsula,” between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, said Scott’s executive order declaring the state of emergency.

Tropical storm force winds could begin to impact South Florida as early as Sunday afternoon.

“Too many variables still exist for us to be able to accurately predict where this storm might impact us or how strong it may be if it does,” said Florida Division of Emergency Management director Bryan Koon in a statement earlier this week. “We are preparing the protective and responsive measures we will need if the storm continues to develop out of an abundance of caution.”

Among other privileges, the Scott’s executive order allows the governor to “direct all state, regional and local governmental agencies, including law enforcement agencies, to identify personnel needed from those agencies to assist in meeting the needs created by this emergency, and to place all such personnel under the direct command and coordination of the State Coordinating Officer (SCO) to meet this emergency.” The Florida National Guard are also under the coordination and direction of the SCO for the duration of the emergency.

As of 2 p.m. EST, Tropical Storm Erica was 850 miles southeast of Miami, just south of the Dominican Republic, moving west-northwest at 18 mph.

Downpours from Tropical Storm #Erika have caused flash flooding in #Dominica: pic.twitter.com/hQh0JL70VD (via @TemporadaCiclon)

— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) August 27, 2015