WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden said he will visit Florida on Saturday to view damage from Hurricane Idalia after the storm pounded the state with high winds and flooding.
Idalia slammed into the Florida’s Big Bend area — where its northern Gulf Coast panhandle curves into the state’s peninsula — on Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane.
Biden, who gave remarks on Thursday during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters, said he spoke to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday to offer federal help in the state’s recovery.
“This morning I spoke again – it seems like we, there should be a direct dial (between) the two of us – Governor DeSantis and I. We spoke again this morning, I let him know that I approved his major disaster declaration,” Biden said.
Idalia left toppled houses and destroyed vehicles in its wake, but overall the destruction was not as severe as feared. Electricity outages from fallen trees, utility poles and power lines were widespread.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Doina Chiacu)