Kaufman County issues disaster declaration ahead of total solar eclipse

By Julia Falcon

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    KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas (KTVT) — Kaufman County has issued a disaster declaration ahead of the total solar eclipse on April 8.

Judge Jakie Allen says the disaster declaration will start on April 5 and continue until April 9, one day after the eclipse.

Allen says they expect visitors to reach approximately 200,000, essentially doubling the county’s population.

The biggest concern for Kaufman County is traffic after the eclipse and public safety officials’ ability to respond to emergencies. However, the county says their agencies have been preparing for the event for months.

Kaufman County isn’t the only Texas municipality to issue a public safety notice of this nature for the solar eclipse – Bell County, located between Austin and Waco, issued a local state of emergency as they anticipate a significant surge in visitors and strained resources.

The eclipse will make its way over North America on April 8. The beginning of the path of totality will be visible in North Texas at 1:40 p.m. CT.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun, according to NASA. If you’re located in the path of totality, the sky will darken, as if it were dawn or dusk.

This will be the last total solar eclipse visible from the U.S. until 2044.

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