Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after the head of the U.S. disaster agency said he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to four sources familiar with the situation.
The remark was made during a briefing by David Richardson, who has led FEMA since early May. It was not clear to staff whether he meant it literally, as a joke, or in some other context.
The U.S. hurricane season officially began on Sunday and lasts through November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast last week that this year’s season is expected to bring as many as 10 hurricanes.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA’s parent agency, said the comment was a joke and that FEMA is prepared for hurricane season.
One of the world's strongest earthquakes struck Russia's Far East early Wednesday, an 8.8-magnitude temblor that...
Two high-ranking officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were placed on administrative leave on...
Tuvalu is preparing to carry out the first planned migration of an entire country in response...
The Trump administration has unveiled plans to speed the development of the highly polluting artificial intelligence...
