 "Biden says Hurricane Milton caused damage worth $50 billion, to visit Florida on Oct 13")
Hurricane Milton has caused damages worth $50 billion, US President Joe Biden said citing experts. The powerful Category 3 storm wreaked havoc in Florida, killing 16 and leaving millions without power.
Biden is slated to visit the storm-ravaged state on Sunday as authorities assess the destruction caused by Milton.
“I want everyone in the impacted areas to know we’re gonna do everything we can to … help you pick back up the pieces and get back to where you were,” Biden said on Friday.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the state had avoided the “worst-case scenario,” though he cautioned the damage was still significant. The Tampa Bay area appeared to sidestep the storm surge that had prompted the most dire warnings.
Officials say the toll could have been worse if not for the widespread evacuations. The still-fresh devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene just two weeks earlier probably helped compel many people to flee.
As of 8 PM Wednesday, when Milton made landfall, there were 19 confirmed tornadoes in Florida, with a total of 45 reported throughout the day, primarily in the central and eastern regions, the National Weather Service stated.
Meanwhile, the president has said that his government is “providing all the resources needed” to help with the reconstruction process.
Federal authorities are currently confident about managing the response to hurricanes Milton and Helene but are concerned about the potential depletion of funds if more storms arise before the end of the hurricane season in November.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsFlorida residents who fled hundreds of miles to escape Hurricane Milton made slow trips home on crowded highways, weary from their long journeys and the cleanup work awaiting them but also grateful to be coming back alive.
With inputs from agencies
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