Achi news desk-
Canada’s Niagara Region has proactively declared a state of emergency ahead of a rare total solar eclipse on April 8, which is expected to draw huge crowds to areas around the region’s popular falls.
Niagara Region said in a statement Thursday that regional chairman Jim Bradley declared a state of emergency “out of an abundance of caution.”
“Declaring a state of emergency … strengthens the tools available to the region to maintain the health and safety of residents and visitors and to protect our critical infrastructure in any scenario that may arise,” reads a Niagara Region press release.
The dramatic waterfall, located along the Canada-US border, is in the path of the eclipse, and many people are splurging on hotels and rentals in advance to experience the phenomenon at one of North America’s natural wonders.
Niagara Falls, Ontario Mayor Jim Diodati predicted “the biggest crowd we’ve ever had” on the Canadian side for the eclipse. Diodati estimated that up to a million people would be there, compared to the 14 million who usually visit over the course of an entire year.
The region will also change some of its programs and services and close some facilities to keep traffic off the roads on April 8.
