Canada’s Niagara region has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the arrival of approximately one million tourists who are expected to flock to the area to witness the upcoming total solar eclipse.
Niagara Falls, which straddles the US-Canadian border, lies in the path of totality for the eclipse and is anticipated to be one of the prime locations to view the rare event on April 8th.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon appears to completely obscure the sun.
In readiness for the influx of visitors, Jim Bradley, Chairman of the Niagara Region, declared a state of emergency “as a precautionary measure” to ensure preparedness for this “unique event in a lifetime”.
The declaration, effective from Thursday, “enhances the region’s capabilities to safeguard the well-being of residents and visitors and to safeguard our vital infrastructure under any circumstances that may arise.”
Bradley emphasized, “All eyes will be on Niagara as thousands of visitors come together to witness this extraordinary event, and we will be well-prepared to welcome them.”
Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario, estimated that up to a million people could be present on that day—normally, 14 million people visit the falls annually.
T-Mobile is deploying additional cell sites to manage the influx of visitors. The region will be adjusting some events and services and closing certain facilities to alleviate traffic congestion, as per the region’s emergency declaration.
Over 30 million people in the US will have the opportunity to witness the total solar eclipse on April 8th.
NASA has forecasted that the celestial event will be remarkable due to significant solar activity.
Residents of the US who miss this year’s eclipse will have to wait several decades for a similar occurrence. The next total solar eclipses visible in the contiguous US are predicted to be in 2044 and 2045.
