President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for a large area of Louisiana and ordered federal assistance for the state as Hurricane Nate approaches the central Gulf of Mexico.

A White House statement released early Saturday said the president authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate all federal disaster relief efforts, according to ABC News on Saturday. 

The statement says the move is intended to speed aid, save lives and protect property and public safety in the region. It specifically identifies 17 parishes, many in coastal Louisiana.

The statement comes as Nate is speeding north-northwest over the central Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane. 

Forecasters say the hurricane is expected to make landfall Saturday night along the central U.S. Gulf Coast.

Source: MENA