BATON ROUGE - President Donald Trump declared that an emergency exists in the state of Louisiana and has ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts due to the strengthening of Tropical Storm Barry.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has asked the Trump administration for a federal declaration of emergency ahead of Tropical Storm Barry's expected landfall late Friday or early Saturday along the state's coast.

In a letter Thursday to President Donald Trump, Edwards asks that the state receive supplementary federal resources as soon as possible should they be needed. His letter notes that in the past 24 hours, 28 parishes have issued emergency declarations and 14 are in the process of completing such declarations.

Edwards says it is necessary that critical pre-positioning be provided through federal assistance.

Meanwhile, the Louisiana National Guard says Edwards has authorized activating up to 3,000 soldiers and airmen ahead of the storm. Officials say high-water vehicles and boats have been staged and helicopters are ready to support as needed.