Multitudes expressing concern over potential mass casualties following Hurricane Helena
Following the impact of storm "Helene," the casualty count in the southeastern United States has climbed to at least 130. Over 200 individuals are still unaccounted for, as per reports from authorities. This weather event is also stirring controversy in the election: on Monday, Democratic candidate Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump of spreading false information after Trump claimed that the government hadn't offered enough aid to the affected victims.
"Let's put it plainly: he's spreading falsehoods," Biden stated to journalists at the White House. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who also reportedly told Trump that he was spreading misinformation, echoed Biden's sentiments. Trump's criticisms were described as "unfair and reckless," according to Biden.
Trump had accused Biden, Cooper, and Vice President Kamala Harris of turning a blind eye to the catastrophe. "I don't understand why he's doing this," Biden remarked. What irritated him was Trump's claim that they were not doing their best. "Yes, we are," Biden insisted.
Trump vows to provide "plenty of resources" to storm-affected region
Cooper, who, like Biden and Harris, is a Democrat, countered Trump's assertion that he was neglecting Republican storm victims in an interview with CNN. "Regardless of their political affiliations, if they require help, we will extend it to them," Cooper said.
Trump visited Georgia on Monday, a battleground state where the election outcome is uncertain. In Valdosta, he promised to deliver "consequently more supplies, including fuel, equipment, water, and various other necessities."
Trump accused the federal government of not reacting promptly enough to the storm. He blamed Biden for "napping" instead of attending to the storm's aftermath. He argued that Harris, his Democratic opponent in the election, was "somewhere campaigning and raising funds."
Biden alleged that he had spent the weekend at his Delaware residence but had been working tirelessly and had spent numerous hours on the phone. Harris rescheduled campaign events to participate in a crisis meeting in Washington on Monday. Both Biden and Harris maintained that the U.S. government had done its best.
Storm "Helene" touched down in Florida on Thursday as a "terribly dangerous" Category 4 hurricane. Despite weakening thereafter, it continued to cause substantial destruction. According to a tally by AFP based on official figures and media reports, at least 130 deaths have been attributed to "Helene" as of Monday. Over 200 are still unaccounted for: White House advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall reported that about 600 individuals in the storm-hit region remained uncontacted.
Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee have all declared states of emergency. Houses, businesses, roads, and bridges have been damaged or destroyed. North Carolina Governor Cooper stated that entire towns in his state had been "summoned into oblivion." By Monday, approximately 1.6 million households and businesses were still without electricity, according to poweroutage.us.
President Biden will travel to North Carolina this Wednesday to inspect the damage and determine the assistance required by those affected by the disaster. He has already promised significant federal aid.
In the event of major natural disasters in the U.S., the national government responds to requests from the states. The president's role is typically that of overseeing and coordinating the aid efforts.
In response to Trump's accusations, Joe Biden stated, "I don't understand why he's doing this," expressing his frustration over Trump's claim that they were not doing their best to aid storm victims. Later, during his visit to Georgia, Trump promised to provide "consequently more supplies" to the affected region, a contrasting approach to Biden's alleged neglect mentioned by Trump.
