Biden promises long-term aid to Florida

On a visit to Florida on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said damage from Hurricane Ian could take years to clean up. He told Floridians that the federal government would be there “until this gets done,” and promised long-term federal aid. The president met with residents, business owners, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after taking a tour of Florida from the air.

What has the government been doing? DeSantis said the White House got help on the ground faster by approving an emergency declaration before Hurricane Ian made landfall last week. He said the government on the local, state, and federal levels has cut through red tape to get resources to people. Some people are still without electricity and water across the state, but plants started pushing water Wednesday to Lee County, one of the hardest-hit places. The total death toll from the storm stands at 84.

Dig deeper: Listen to Onize Ohikere’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about Pakistan’s recovery from massive floods.