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HURRICANE JOAQUINThreat of Joaquin Hitting US is Decreasing | 00:51Even as the US East Coast prepares for Hurricane Joaquin, much of the region is already under water from a storm stretching from Florida to New Brunswick. But forecasters say Joaquin will likely stay offshore of the East Coast. (Oct. 1) AP
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin forecasted to turn north | 00:27Hurricane Joaquin continues to hammer the Bahamas and is expected to turn north over the coming days. VPC
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin: what to expect | 01:52USA TODAY weather reporter Doyle Rice tells us what to expect from category 4 Hurricane Joaquin. USA TODAY
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin Intensifies to Category 4 | 00:53Hurricane Joaquin strengthened into a Category 4 storm on Thursday as it roared through islands of the eastern Bahamas, and forecasters said it could grow still more intense before following a path that would near the U.S. East Coast. (Oct. 1) AP
HURRICANE JOAQUINChristie: 'We need you to prepare and not panic' | 01:00New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is urging residents to prepare and not panic for heavy rains that are expected, especially in the southern part of the state. (Oct. 1) AP
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin to strengthen to Category 4 storm | 03:40Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect that Hurricane Joaquin will strengthen to a Category 4 storm by early Friday morning.
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin eyes East Coast | 04:23Joaquin strengthened to a hurricane Wednesday as it approached the Bahamas. The East Coast is expected to feel the impact of Hurricane Joaquin this weekend. WTSP-TV
HURRICANE JOAQUINJoaquin Sweeps Across Bahamas, US Hit Uncertain | 00:55Joaquin is lashing the Bahamas as a major, category-three hurricane, but forecasters say they're not sure whether the system will hit the United States. Experts say if the storm makes landfall, it could trigger dangerous flooding (Oct. 1) AP
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin aims for Bahamas, could hit U.S. | 01:47Hurricane Joaquin is expected to pass over parts of the Bahamas on Thursday. The storm could hit the U.S. over the weekend, adding more rain after recent East Coast downpours. (Oct. 1) AP
HURRICANE JOAQUINHurricane Joaquin strengthens | 04:55Hurricane Joaquin is forecast to strengthen over the next two days and could track near the East Coast by this weekend.
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Virginia National Guard soldiers help flood victims after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The state's governor has activated hundreds of guardsmen in anticipation of Hurricane Joaquin.(Photo: U.S. Army)
As Hurricane Joaquin bears down on the eastern U.S., hundreds of National Guardsmen are gearing up for response operations.
The Virginia National Guard on Thursday was approved to activate 800 soldiers, airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force. The troops are scheduled to stand up readiness centers in Hampton Roads, central Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and southwest Virginia by Friday evening. Those teams are prepared to use Humvees and light and medium tactical trucks for high water transport, as well as engineers with chain saws, trucks, and heavy engineer equipment for debris reduction and downed tree removal, said Lt. Col. Douglas Gagnon, deputy director of joint operations for the Virginia Guard.
Meanwhile, National Guard officials in New York and New Jersey are coordinating with state and local authorities to facilitate a quick response if called into action. Both states were hammered by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Approximately 12,000 guardsmen were called into action during the aftermath of that storm, with the largest contingent working in those two states where they conducted search and rescue and provided food and water distribution, debris removal, route clearance, power generation support, and assistance in maintaining civil order.
The Navy and Marine Corps also were involved in the response.
USA TODAY
Hurricane Joaquin scatters cruise ships in the Bahamas
“We're seeing what support the (New Jersey Office of Emergency Management) may need as the storm gets closer," Kryn Westhoven, spokesman for the New Jersey National Guard, said in a news release.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday night issued an emergency declaration, which allows him to activate the Maryland National Guard. No activation orders had been issued as of 10 p.m. ET.
The National Hurricane Center upgraded Joaquin to a Category 4 on Thursday afternoon and warned that it would likely strengthen. Most forecasts suggested the storm could skirt the East Coast, but still drop heavy winds and rain from North Carolina into the mid-Atlantic states by Sunday. Much of southwest Virginia has already experienced flooding as a result of continuous rains over the past week.
If a coastal state takes a direct hit, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact allows the governor to request Guard assistance from nearby states as needed. The system makes available nearly 460,000 Guard members from throughout the country to support response operations.
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