Trump esprime frustrazione e accusa Biden e Harris di aver agito male.
Uragano "Helene" ha lasciato in rovina una parte del sud-est degli Stati Uniti, causando almeno 180 morti. Attualmente, Kamala Harris e Donald Trump si stanno recando nelle zone colpite. Solo poche settimane prima delle elezioni USA, gli strascichi di questa tempesta si sono trasformati in un problema politico, un fenomeno tipico del paese.
Esther Manheimer, sindaco di Asheville, una piccola città nella Carolina del Nord, annuisce in segno di assenso mentre si trova nel suo ufficio con un telefono cellulare premuto all'orecchio. La voce del presidente degli Stati Uniti in carica, Joe Biden, è udibile attraverso l'altoparlante: "Ti aiuteremo, Esther". La scorsa settimana, il sindaco ha caricato un video in due parti su Instagram, con la didascalia "Grazie, presidente Biden, Asheville apprezza te!"
Con uno sfondo montano, Asheville è famosa per la sua bellezza paesaggistica e il clima temperato. Tuttavia, l'uragano "Helene", che ha colpito la costa sud-orientale degli Stati Uniti lo scorso giovedì sera, ha causato devastazione nella zona. Un diluvio di pioggia ha allagato grandi parti della regione, distrutto le linee di approvvigionamento e sommerso le strutture fognarie e petrolifere. Gli allagamenti hanno quindi causato carenze idriche. CNN ha riferito che almeno 180 persone hanno perso la vita e centinaia sono ancora disperse. In un momento dato, più di un milione di case hanno momentaneamente perso l'energia. Il Centro Nazionale Uragani ha descritto le inondazioni come "storiche". La Florida, la Georgia, la Carolina del Nord e del Sud, l'Alabama e il Tennessee hanno dichiarato lo stato di emergenza.
Politica sotto la Catastrofe
Le catastrofi non solo mettono alla prova la gestione della comunità e della crisi, ma anche il mondo politico. Le elezioni forniscono uno sfondo per i politici per dimostrare le loro abilità nella gestione delle crisi. Anche se può sembrare insensibile politicizzare la sofferenza umana, spesso va di pari passo. Con sole quattro settimane left until the US election, Hurricane "Helene" has also become a political issue. The affected states, which happen to be swing states, amplify the political significance of this disaster.
On Monday, Donald Trump visited the disaster-stricken region in Georgia. Decked out in his customary MAGA cap, he posed for photographs and promised to deliver essentials such as fuel, water, and other supplies. He emphasized that he wasn't politicizing the disaster, but it seemed that he was.
Trump leveled accusations against the Biden administration, claiming that they had reacted too slowly to the storm. He implied that President Biden had slept through the crisis and that Senator Kamala Harris had abandoned her campaign trail.
President Biden swiftly refuted these allegations. He assured that substantial federal aid was on its way to the affected areas. On Wednesday, he traveled to North Carolina to evaluate the situation firsthand. Prior to his visit, he announced that 1000 soldiers would be dispatched to the affected region for assistance. The Pentagon agreed to the deployment, according to Biden. Kamala Harris also canceled her campaign events and went to Georgia the previous day.
The storm season and US elections have coincided before, resulting in controversial consequences for politicians. For instance, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the East Coast in 2005, former President George W. Bush received lasting criticism for his poor crisis management. The 2008 Hurricane Gustav disrupted the Republican National Convention, compelling Senator John McCain to suspend most of its events. Even then-President Barack Obama visited New Jersey days after Hurricane Sandy flooded the East Coast in 2012, potentially securing him a poll boost before the election.
While politics lies at the forefront, Asheville, North Carolina, is primarily preoccupied with emergency supplies and damage control. A resource map identifies locations where residents can secure drinking water, food, or Wi-Fi. Officials warned that it could take weeks for some areas to regain access to running water again.
Politics isn't entirely avoidable. The temporary suspension of postal services contributes to ongoing disputes over mail-in voting between Democrats and Republicans in North Carolina. Four years ago, there was a heated debate about mail-in voting in the state, which may resurface due to affected ballots and flooded polling stations.
In response to the damage caused by Hurricane "Helene", Joe Biden, the current President of the United States of America, has pledged assistance to Esther Manheimer, the mayor of Asheville, North Carolina. Manheimer expressed her gratitude towards Biden on Instagram, acknowledging his help.
As Hurricane "Helene" continues to be a political issue just weeks before the US election, all eyes are on the affected swing states, further amplifying the disaster's political significance in the United States of America.
