President Joe Biden made a visit to the Tampa area of Florida on Sunday to conduct an aerial tour of the destruction caused by Hurricane Milton, the second major storm in as many weeks to bring havoc to the area.
During the visit, Biden promised to commit over $500m (£380m) to aid in rebuilding the devastated electrical system in the state. Power outages were reported for nearly three million businesses and homes in Florida as the storm was at its peak, touching down on 10 October, and more than 825,000 are still not connected to the power grid, according to reports on poweroutage.us.
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Biden Promises $500 Million
Milton, and Hurricane Helene that reached before it, have left a huge burden on the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Fema. Right after his aerial tour on Sunday, President Biden opined: “Thankfully, the impact of the storm was not as cataclysmic as we had anticipated.” He then stated, “For some of our folks, it was cataclysmic.” First responders and other local officials were thanked by Biden as he gave out his empathy to residents whom he said he knows are “heartbroken and exhausted”.
This week, the president promised more than half a billion dollars to help aid Florida’s electrical grid. The move comes amidst growing tensions over budgeting on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers in the US are urging Congress to reconvene early and work out additional disaster relief funding for Fema. However, the chamber’s highest-ranking lawmaker, US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, said that may have to wait.
Johnson said Congress would reconvene as scheduled on 5 November following the election and work toward an increased appropriations bill when states were finished tallying the damage from the storm.
“Before Hurricane Helene hit land… Congress appropriated $20bn (£15.3bn) to Fema so that they would have the wherewithal to address immediate needs,” Johnson said in a weekend interview with CBS News, the BBC’s partner in North America.
“I just checked this morning, less than 2% of that funding has been distributed,” he said. In Florida, Biden said he had been “talking to Congress to see if they can get the money quickly. “It’s important,” he said. The known death toll from Helene, which hit multiple states – including Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida – stands at 227.Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in west Florida on 10 October, hit many of the same areas as Helene, leaving at least 17 people dead.
Milton’s ripping winds combined with deadly storm surges flattened west and central Florida homes, flipped cars and stripped power lines. It also added to the destruction caused by Helene. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had ordered emergency crews to work around-the-clock to remove debris caused by Helene ahead of Milton’s arrival. Much of it still remained as Milton made landfall.
The hurricanes added to the brewing political storm as the US presidential election goes full throttle. Donald Trump claimed in false accusations that the Biden administration “stole Fema money… so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them this season.”
Running against Trump, Kamala Harris retorted that his remarks are “the height of irresponsibility and, frankly, callousness.”.
A Lifeline for Floridians
Unfortunately, several major storms have ravaged the state this year, leaving communities dark and powerless from Miami to Jacksonville. Many residents have faced scouring times as temperatures soared with failure of all basic services-delivery of clean water, provision of food, and medical services. The extent of damage to power grids as well as utility systems has been enormous, and several areas have not fully recovered yet, weeks after the storms had gone.
“We see you, we hear you, and help is on the way,” Biden declared in a Tampa speech. “This funding will go directly to turning power back on and making sure Florida’s infrastructure is stronger and more resilient in the face of future storms,” he added.
The $500 million will be allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal agencies to state and local governments to recover electric service and repair damaged utilities. It will also strengthen power grids so they can more readily withstand increasingly frequent and intense future hurricanes fueled by climate change.
Restoring Power, Rebuilding Lives
For Floridians, the good news could not have come at a better time. It has been weeks since power has been out to some rural areas, and this situation has presented huge challenges for families and businesses. For the most part, hospitals have had to operate with back generators, while many families were left without refrigeration or air conditioning in the sweltering heat.
Maria Sanchez of Fort Myers has been without power for nearly a month. So, she was relieved to hear what happened this time. “We have been trying to get by with young kids and elderly family members in the house, so it would’ve been good to know help was finally on its way.”
The federal aid package is focused to accelerate recovery and make Florida’s energy infrastructure stronger in the future. But, aside from repairing damaged power lines and substations, funding will also support upgrades in grid technology to enable utilities to respond better to outages more quickly.
Bipartisan Backing for Recovery
Bipartisan praise was received from the announcement given by the President, with Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis thank the federal assistance. “We welcome this critical funding, which will help our state recover faster and ensure Floridians have the resources they need to rebuild their lives,” DeSantis said in a statement.
In a rare display of cooperation between the Biden administration and the state government of Florida, both sides emphasized the need for partnership in addressing the issues that extreme weather events create. The hurricane season is at its peak, and attention has been brought to short-term recovery efforts, as well as long-term plans for making communities more resilient.
Preparing for the Future
Preparing for the Future
As the storms grow more frequent and more intense, state and federal officials alike recognize that rebuilding is not enough. “It’s not just about power lines,” one senior Biden administration official said; investing in climate resilience at the levels proposed means a lot more than replacing and bolstering vulnerable roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.
“We can’t wait for the next disaster to strike before we act,” Biden said. “This is about building a stronger, safer future for Florida and for every other state that confronts the increasing dangers of climate change.” Beyond the rush order to start work on repair crews that will speed up the restoration of electricity, Biden’s larger infrastructure package contains billions for projects aimed at preventing future storms and protecting coastal communities.
Floridians Look for Reprieve
For now, though, attention remains on power restoration to the millions of Floridians still slogging through the aftermath of the storms. Utility crews have worked around the clock to restore damaged infrastructure, but it’s slow going, what with the sheer scope of the destruction. “I’m just praying that things get back to normal soon,” said Chris Miller, a business owner in Pensacola. “It has been a tough few weeks, but knowing that help is coming gives us a bit of hope.”
For Floridians as the $500 million pledge to restore power announced by Biden starts to take effect, hope is that the power would be restored soon and that their communities might also be better prepared for the challenge and bounces.
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