An aerial view shows a police vehicle driving along a flooded street in Recent Port Richey, Florida, after Hurricane Idalia made landfall, Aug. 30, 2023.
Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo | AFP | Getty Images
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden made a surprise trip to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters Thursday, where he announced he could be traveling to Florida on Saturday to survey the damage after Hurricane Idalia.
“Showing up for the moment to save lots of the lives is critically essential, but that is only the start … and a few of it may take months and years to make sure that we restore the people to the circumstances there before this disaster hit,” Biden said at FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C. “And to the people of Florida, and throughout the southeast, I’m here to make it clear that our nation has your back.”
Biden spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis twice Thursday and with FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, who’s within the state.
Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning as a Category 3 hurricane but has since weakened to a tropical storm. As of Thursday afternoon, not less than three people were dead, and lots of of hundreds were left without power.
Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall said later that the president shall be visiting the areas more affected by Idalia.
“We can’t know the total extent of the damage done for several days,” Sherwood-Randall said, adding the fundamental destruction was from flooding attributable to storm surge. “What we do know is that we’ll stay there so long as it takes.”
