Canada’s Niagara region has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of an estimated one million tourists arriving in the region to witness the upcoming total solar eclipse.
Niagara Falls, located on the Canada-US border, is in the path of totality of the eclipse. This will be one of the best places to witness this rare event on April 8.
During a total solar eclipse, the moon seems to completely erase the sun
In anticipation of the influx of visitors, Niagara Region President Jim Bradley declared a state of emergency “out of an abundance of caution” to prepare for this “unique event.”
The declaration, which took effect Thursday, “strengthens the tools available to the region to safeguard the health and safety of residents and visitors and protect our critical infrastructure in any scenarios that may arise.”
Bradley added, “The spotlight will be on Niagara as thousands of visitors join us to share this unique event, and we will be ready to shine.
Jim Diodati, mayor of the Ontario city of Niagara Falls, estimates that up to a million people will be there that day – typically 14 million people visit the waterfall over the course of a year.
Niagara Falls Georges Pachantouris/Getty Images
T-Mobile is rolling out additional cell sites to help handle the influx of visitors.
The region will modify some of its events and services and close some facilities to keep traffic off the roads, according to the region’s statement.
A map showing where the moon’s shadow will cross the United States during the 2024 total solar eclipse. NASA Science Visualization Studio
In the United States, more than 30 million people will be able to observe the total solar eclipse on April 8.
NASA predicted the celestial event will be spectacular due to abundant solar activity.
U.S. residents who miss this year’s eclipse will have to wait a few more decades for a similar event. The next total solar eclipses visible in the contiguous United States will occur in 2044 and 2045.
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