Check US President Joe Biden Sunday damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida, the second hurricane to hit the state in weeks.
Water levels rose as a result of floods over the past weeks in light of fuel shortages and power outages, which further affected efforts to remove debris.
A helicopter carrying Biden flew over the west coast of Florida from Tampa to St. Petersburg. The aerial tour showed the areas affected by the storm.
On the ground, Biden passed through entire neighborhoods in St. Pete Beach, where debris piled up in the streets next to downed palm trees and homes with their doors blown off, while the air was filled with the smell of putrid construction materials.
Floods continue
Bed mattresses, broken boards, sofas, ovens, pillows and cabinets were strewn on both sides of the streets as Biden walked around with emergency officials.
During his tour, accompanied by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Biden is scheduled to meet with a number of residents before making statements.
According to the US Weather Service website, flooding is expected to continue near Tampa Bay and the Sanford area northeast of Orlando as water levels continue to rise.
Hurricane Milton, which killed at least 17 people, followed Hurricane Helen Which also left debris, caused severe damage, and led to the unavailability of electricity and fuel in many areas until now.
President Joe Biden estimated the value of the massive losses caused by the hurricane at fifty billion dollars.
About 2.5 million homes and business headquarters remained without electricity, while some areas along the path of the extremely violent storm from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean remained submerged.
Successive Hurricanes Helen and Milton in Florida turned into election material, with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump spreading conspiracy theories claiming that Biden and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris abandoned the victims.
On Thursday, Biden responded by saying: “Go mind your business.”