Biden and Harris Tour Hurricane-Ravaged Southeast, Pledge Long-Term Support

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia on Wednesday to witness the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, which has claimed the lives of at least 160 people. Their visit comes as search and rescue operations continue and recovery efforts ramp up across the region.

Biden landed in Greer, South Carolina, where he was greeted by state leaders, including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The president then boarded Marine One for an aerial tour of the hardest-hit areas, including Asheville and Chimney Rock in North Carolina.

From the helicopter, Biden viewed the widespread destruction caused by the storm. Entire homes had been swept away, especially those near rivers, with significant damage reported in Asheville’s River Arts District along the French Broad River. “You can see homes that have moved clearly from one side of the river down the river to another side,” Biden noted during an operational briefing in Raleigh, North Carolina. Many areas remained inaccessible, and residents were still cut off from the outside world.

Vice President Harris, meanwhile, traveled to Augusta, Georgia, where she was briefed alongside Senator Jon Ossoff and Representative Rick Allen. She toured the Meadowbrook neighborhood with Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson, speaking with residents and hearing personal accounts of the storm’s toll. “There is real pain and trauma that has resulted because of this hurricane,” Harris said, pledging long-term federal support. She recounted a conversation with a woman whose daughter had lost her husband in the disaster, highlighting the emotional impact of the storm.

The storm, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, has left a path of destruction across the Southeastern U.S., and rebuilding is expected to take years. Biden emphasized the enormous cost of recovery, stating, “It’s going to cost billions of dollars to deal with this storm and all the communities affected.” He also warned that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of such natural disasters, saying, “Nobody can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore.”

In response to the devastation, Biden directed 1,000 active-duty troops to assist with recovery efforts, adding to the nearly 6,000 National Guard members already deployed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided over $10 million in direct aid, along with millions of meals, water, and emergency power generators. However, officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have warned that federal disaster funds may soon be depleted if another hurricane strikes.

“We are meeting the moment, but that doesn’t speak about the future,” Mayorkas said, emphasizing the strain on FEMA’s resources. Biden approved requests from the governors of Georgia and North Carolina for additional federal aid to cover debris removal and emergency protective measures.

Biden and Harris both pledged continued support, with Harris set to visit North Carolina in the coming days and Biden planning further stops in Georgia and Florida.