US President Joe Biden ramps up federal aid to flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky on Monday after touring climate change-related devastation I promised to
"The federal government, states, counties and cities will stay until we're all back where we came from," he said after visiting his family in Lost Creek, Kentucky. flood.
He said that his goal is "not just to get back to the way things were, but to be better than they were."
Flooding last week killed at least 37 people in parts of eastern Kentucky after storms brought up to 26 cm of rain in just 48 hours. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Monday that officials expect the total number of deaths to rise by at least one.
Earlier Monday, Biden said at a briefing with state and federal officials on emergency response that climate change was causing more weather disasters. At the same time, we are being affected by climate change, with significant numbers of weather disasters occurring across the country.
Senate Democrats on Sunday committed nearly $400 billion to combat climate change.
White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre expressed concern about the growing impacts of climate change. We need urgent investment in the impacts of climate change and in making our communities more resilient.”
Biden last week issued a major disaster declaration for Kentucky, releasing federal funds to the state. Made available for rescue and cleanup efforts.
Jean-Pierre said the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided Kentucky with more than $3.1 million in his relief funds.
Beshear praised Biden's response to the floods, saying on Monday the president said, "For the federal government's declaration of disaster and for our individual support to our families. And we acted faster than ever before," he said. Looked. Biden, who is traveling with his wife Jill Biden, arrived in Kentucky Monday morning and was greeted by Beshear and his wife Brittney Beshear.
They drove through areas of Breathitt County that were most affected by the storm, then attended briefings on the effects of the floods with first responders and met with families displaced by the disaster. I was there.
The US National Weather Service warned that more flooding could occur in Kentucky this week as thunderstorms are possible through Thursday.
This is Mr. Biden's second visit to Kentucky as president. He visited the state in December to see the tornado damage that killed 81 people.
Beshear said on Monday, "The trials and tribulations faced by us Kentuckians are incomprehensible."
But he added that states are probably better able to handle crises "because we have ways of relying on each other in times of need".
Department information provided by AP and Reuters.
