During his visit to the disaster area in the southern United States, Joe Biden got an idea of the devastation. The US President assured those affected the help of the federal government.
“I know you’re suffering,” Joe Biden said as he and local residents visited one of the areas in Louisiana hard-hit by Hurricane Ida on Friday. He promised extensive financial help from the state. He has already released 100 million US dollars (84 million euros), of which private individuals can receive 500 euros each as emergency aid.
The hurricane killed at least 13 people in Louisiana and the neighboring state of Mississippi. According to official information, 800,000 households in the disaster region still have no electricity. The electric utilities announced that all districts in metro New Orleans should have electricity again “by the middle of next week”.
Across the state, 14,000 overhead power line poles would need to be rebuilt and more than 2,200 destroyed transformers would need to be replaced. That will take time, although thousands of employees are in action, residents are asked to be patient.
Number five worst hurricane
As soon as he approached New Orleans, the US President was able to get an impression of the massive amounts of water and destruction that “Ida” had caused. According to meteorologists, it was the fifth strongest hurricane since records began.
It hit the coast southwest of New Orleans on Sunday as a magnitude four (of five) hurricane, causing severe devastation. The storm then weakened overland and continued northeast. There were heavy rains and catastrophic floods in the metropolitan area of New York and in several states.
In the northeastern United States, here in Newark, New Jersey, the aftermath of Hurricane “Ida” can still be seen
Rain chaos in the Northeast, forest fires in the West
At least 46 people died in the Northeast, including 23 in New Jersey, 16 in New York City and surrounding areas, 5 in Pennsylvania, and one each in Connecticut and Maryland. In addition, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), at least eight tornadoes caused damage, mostly in New Jersey. On Tuesday, the President wants to visit Manville, New Jersey, and the borough of Queens in New York to get an idea of the storm damage there.
In the western state of California, firefighters are still battling devastating wildfires
Fierce forest fires continue to rage in California in the western United States. “Hurricane Ida, the wildfires in the west and the unprecedented flooding in New York and New Jersey over the past few days are another reminder that the climate crisis is here,” Biden wrote on Twitter, adding, “We need to be better prepared .”
The infrastructure must be adapted to the tightened conditions. The US President called on Congress to pass appropriate legislation. Biden has declared the fight against climate change as one of his most important goals.
mak/ml (rtr, ape, dpa)