By Trevor Hunnicutt
TAMPA (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Florida on Sunday to survey damage from Hurricane Milton, the second storm to hit the low-lying state in recent weeks, as rising floodwaters and ongoing fuel shortages and power outages impacted cleanup efforts.
Milton, which led to at least 17 reported deaths, has added to piles of debris following Hurricane Helene, with electricity and fuel still unavailable in many areas.
The president landed in Tampa Sunday morning to take an aerial tour of affected areas on his way to St. Petersburg, where federal, state and local officials in St. Pete Beach will brief him.
The mayors of Tampa and St. Petersburg along with other local officials greeted Biden, who will also meet with first responders and local residents before delivering public remarks.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm also traveled with the president.
More fuel distribution sites are scheduled to open on Sunday, according to the state’s emergency operations center.
Flooding is expected to continue around the Tampa Bay and the Sanford area northeast of Orlando as river waters continue to rise, according to the National Weather Service’s website.
Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert said recovery was expected to take a long time as officials continued to get power restored more widely, with about 80% restored right now. Barrier islands will hopefully get power and water by late Monday, she added.
“It’s still a mess,” she told ABC News’ “This Week” program. “Lots of debris, as you can imagine, to clean up. Sand that washed onto the roadways — we’re working on cleaning up that… Everybody is all hands on deck.”
“People are coming together. Neighbors are helping neighbors. It’s been heartening to see all of the outpouring of support and help that people have been offering,” Alpert added.
Climate change has been linked to stronger and faster hurricanes, with the two recent back-to-back storms pummeling Florida raising questions of infrastructure resiliency even as many residents vow to stay put.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he was not inclined to prevent people from rebuilding in vulnerable areas.
While Milton was not as destructive as officials had initially forecast, analysts have estimated insured losses for between $30 billion and $60 billion.
Biden’s administration has approved federal aid to help residents and local governments cover expenses but has said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would need additional funding from the U.S. Congress.
Biden, a Democrat, last week called on lawmakers, who are on recess until after the Nov. 5 election, to return to Washington to approve more FEMA money.
But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday resisted White House and state lawmakers appeals to approve more disaster assistance, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program: “The states have to go and calculate and assess the need and then they submit that to Congress and that takes some time.”
