Updated 09/12/2017

Federal officials are warning of possible fuel shortages in the Southeast because of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, according to media reports.

Last week, the Homeland Security Department issued a week-long waiver on federal restrictions of foreign vessels so they could help distribute fuel.

Christopher Krebs, head of infrastructure protection for the Homeland Security Department, said Hurricane Harvey took a “significant amount” of the nation’s refining capacity offline and affected distribution.

“As a result,” he said, “there may be some fuel supply shortages throughout the Southeast.”