President Joe Biden on Saturday declared an emergency for North Carolina as the state works to clean up and restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

Ian brought heavy rain, strong winds and power outages to much of the state Friday. Four people died Friday in connection with the storm, the Governor's Office announced Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of customers, many in Central North Carolina, remained without power Saturday afternoon.

Related: Tracking Ian

On Friday, North Carolina’s congressional delegation, led by Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, urged Biden to support Gov. Roy Cooper’s request for an emergency declaration as preparations were being made ahead of the storm, which made landfall Friday afternoon near Georgetown, S.C.

An emergency declaration enables FEMA to coordinate relief efforts and provide assistance to state and local agencies responding to the effects of Hurricane Ian.

The delegation’s letter to Biden was signed by both the state’s senators and 12 of its 13 House members.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn of Hendersonville did not sign the request. Cawthorn, a lightning rod for controversy, lost May’s Republican primary in the 11th Congressional District to state Sen. Chuck Edwards.

Biden on Thursday declared a major disaster for nine Florida counties that were devastated by Ian as it swept through the state before reaching the Carolinas.