By Trevor Hunnicutt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in Florida on Sunday to survey damage from Hurricane Milton, the second storm to hit the low-lying state in recent weeks even as flood waters keep rising.
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.
Biden’s administration had approved federal aid to help residents and local governments cover expenses.
The president is scheduled to arrive in Tampa at 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT) and will take an aerial tour of affected areas on his way to St. Petersburg, where he will be briefed by federal, state and local officials in St. Pete Beach.
He will also meet with first responders and local residents before delivering public remarks.
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.
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.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jarrett Renshaw; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
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