Niagara Falls, a city that straddles the international border of Canada and the United States, is preparing for an astronomical event that could draw up to a million visitors. The city and its surrounding region have declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the total solar eclipse on April 8th, the first to be visible in the province since 1979.
National Geographic has named Niagara Falls as one of the prime locations to witness this celestial spectacle. The city lies in the path of totality, where viewers will experience the moon completely obscuring the sun for a brief period.
Niagara Falls Mayor, Jim Diodati, has expressed expectations of record-breaking visitor numbers on the day of the eclipse. In response to the anticipated influx, the regional municipality of Niagara has proactively declared a state of emergency. This declaration, announced last Thursday, triggers additional planning measures to manage potential challenges such as major traffic congestion, increased demand on emergency services, and potential overloads on cellphone networks.
The eclipse’s path will begin on Mexico’s Pacific coast in the morning, cut across the US from Texas to Maine, and conclude in eastern Canada by late afternoon. While Niagara Falls will experience a total eclipse, most of the rest of the continent will witness a partial eclipse.
This article is based on information from “Niagara region declares emergency to prepare for eclipse viewers” by the Associated Press, published on The Guardian.