President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to visit storm-ravaged areas in the southeastern United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Biden will assess flood damage in Asheville, North Carolina, while Harris will focus on recovery efforts in Georgia.
Biden has pledged long-term federal support for the impacted regions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already deployed over 1,200 personnel to assist in rescue and recovery operations. In a statement, Biden emphasized the government’s commitment to providing ongoing aid, dismissing criticisms from former President Donald Trump as false. Trump, who visited Georgia earlier, had claimed that the federal response was inadequate.
Hurricane Helene has caused widespread devastation across the southeastern states, with more than 150 people confirmed dead and hundreds still missing. North Carolina has been hit particularly hard, where at least 66 people have lost their lives, and entire communities have been destroyed by unprecedented flooding.
Power restoration efforts are underway, but approximately 1.3 million customers from Florida to Virginia remain without electricity. Asheville and other parts of North Carolina have seen historic rainfall, with the North Carolina State Climate Office reporting over 24 inches of rain in some areas. The state’s climate center described these levels as “off the charts,” with some locations recording up to 31 inches between September 25 and 27.
The severe flooding has also disrupted communication, including at the Asheville Regional Airport, which had already reported nearly 14 inches of rain before losing contact. Experts fear the death toll could surpass North Carolina’s previous record of 80 fatalities during a tropical event, set in July 1916.
As recovery efforts continue, Biden and Harris’s visits aim to reassure affected communities of the federal government’s full support in rebuilding and restoring normalcy after this catastrophic storm.
