President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will each head to the Southeast on Wednesday to survey injury wrought by Hurricane Helene, which to this point is confirmed to have killed 166 folks.
The president stated Tuesday that the price of the huge storm may stretch into the billions of {dollars}. “We’ve to leap begin this restoration course of,” Biden stated. “Individuals are scared to demise. That is pressing.”
Biden’s scheduled go to to North Carolina — which is predicted to be a pivotal battleground state in subsequent month’s presidential election — and South Carolina will embody an aerial tour of Asheville in western North Carolina, which was one of many area’s worst hit areas.
“I’ve ensured my journey is not going to disrupt the continued response,” Biden stated in a put up to X. “I plan to journey to Georgia and Florida as quickly as attainable.”
Len Frisbee dumps a wheelbarrow of filth as he helps with clear up within the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Oct. 1, 2024, in Sizzling Springs, N.C.
Jeff Roberson/AP
Harris will journey to Georgia, one other battleground state.
“The Vice President can even present updates on Federal actions which are being taken to help emergency response and restoration efforts in Georgia and a number of other different states all through the southeast,” her workplace stated in an announcement.
Tons of of individuals stay unaccounted for following Helene’s passage. Greater than 150,000 households have registered for help with the Federal Emergency Administration Company, Frank Matranga — an company consultant — stated.
That quantity is predicted to extend within the coming days, Matranga stated. He famous that nearly 2 million ready-to-eat meals and greater than one million liters of water have been despatched to the hardest-hit areas.
Wednesday’s visits by Biden and Harris come shortly after former President Donald Trump traveled to devastated Valdosta, Georgia, to see Helene’s destruction firsthand.
President Joe Biden offers an replace on the Hurricane Helene response and restoration efforts on the White Home in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 30, 2024.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Trump additionally used the Monday go to to assault his Democratic opponents over their emergency response efforts.
“As you already know, our nation is within the last weeks of a hard-fought nationwide election,” Trump stated whereas in Valdosta.
“However in a time like this, when a disaster hits, when our fellow residents cry out in want, none of that issues. We’re not speaking about politics now. We’ve to all get collectively and get this solved. We’d like numerous assist. They must have numerous assist down right here.”
Trump accused Biden and Harris of “being very nonresponsive,” he stated, claiming each had failed to talk to Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, although Kemp stated they’d.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump is pictured throughout a go to to Valdosta, Georgia, on Sept. 30, 2024 following the passage of Hurricane Helene.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Photographs
The president hit again on the criticism. “Let me get this straight — he is mendacity,” Biden stated throughout an Oval Workplace briefing with reporters, framing Trump’s remarks as “irresponsible.”
“I do not know why he does this, and the rationale I get so indignant about it — I do not care about what he says about me, I care what he communicates to the folks which are in want. He implies that we’re not doing the whole lot attainable. We’re. We’re.”
ABC Information’ Cheyenne Haslett contributed to this report.
