The state of Florida prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Milton this week, as the southeastern United States continues to recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which has caused at least 230 deaths and infiltrated the US election campaign.
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The tropical storm Milton became a Category 1 hurricane this Sunday after its winds intensified to 129 kilometers per hour, according to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC).
It is forecast to intensify rapidly as it moves from east to northeast across the Gulf of Mexico and could make landfall next Wednesday become a potentially destructive Category 3 hurricane.
This Sunday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis increased the number of counties in a state of emergency included in the executive order he signed on Saturday to 51 and warned the population to take the hurricane seriously. President Joe Biden is being informed of Milton’s progress and, as he stated in a statement, all “life-saving resources are being prepared before the storm”. “I urge all Florida residents to listen to local officials and make the necessary preparations,” he noted.
Recovery continues after Helene
The hurricane will land on US soil after Helene After entering northwest Florida on September 26 as a category 4 hurricane, it caused a trail of more than 800 kilometers of devastation across states in the southeastern United States, with special intensity in North Carolina. It also left more than 230 dead and dozens missing. becoming the deadliest hurricane in the US since Katrina in 2005.
This Sunday, Biden ordered the sending of another 500 soldiers to western North Carolina to work on recovery efforts and the search for the dozens of missing people. The troops join the 1,000 that were sent to the area this week, in response to the request of Democratic Governor Roy Cooper. In addition to the 1,500 soldiers, there are more than 6,100 National Guard members and more than 7,000 federal personnel in the area. “My administration spares no resources to support families as they begin their path to reconstruction,” the president said.
In a statement, The White House reported that federal assistance for survivors of Hurricane Helene now exceeds $137 million, in “one of the largest mobilizations of federal personnel, partners and resources in recent history.”
To date, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has sent more than 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, 157 generators and more than 505,000 tarps to the region, he pointed out. Those affected by the disaster in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA, the White House said.
A hurricane that has sneaked into the campaign
Helene has not only left a wave of destruction in the southeast of the country but has also sneaked into the electoral campaign, with one month left before the presidential elections on November 5. The catastrophe has served the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), to unleash a series of fake news about the government response to the tragedy. In several of his events and interviews this week, Trump even pointed out that the federal government is not helping those affected by Helene because it has spent its funds on helping migrants arriving in the United States.
At a rally this Sunday in Juneau, Wisconsin, he again criticized FEMA for the “worst response in history” given after the passage of a hurricane and insisted on the false information that the agency is only offering $750 to the victims. affected while the Biden Government “sends millions of dollars to foreign nations.”
FEMA explained this week that this is only the immediate and upfront help that survivors can receive to cover basic and urgent needs such as food and water, but that they can then access a series of relief funds.
Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris visited North Carolina on Saturday to assess the damage from the hurricane and highlighted the “extraordinary work” that FEMA has carried out on the ground.
EFE
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