USA Biden and Harris promise help for storm victims
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have personally inspected the situation in the disaster areas following the devastating storm "Helene", which left many dead.
Biden first visited Greenville in the state of North Carolina and then traveled on to the city of Raleigh in South Carolina. "I visited western North Carolina from the air," said Biden at a meeting with the local emergency authorities and once again promised comprehensive help. "My heart goes out to everyone who has suffered this unimaginable loss. We will not abandon you."
The President had previously announced that he would mobilize up to 1,000 soldiers to help distribute food, water and other urgently needed supplies.
His deputy Harris was traveling in the state of Georgia at the same time. There, she thanked the rescue workers who had sometimes rushed to the aid of complete strangers despite their own losses. "That's one of the beautiful things about this country: that people really stick together in emergencies like this," said Harris in the city of Augusta. "It really underscores the fact that the vast majority of us have so much more in common than what divides us."
Extreme weather becomes an election issue
The statement was probably also an indirect dig at her opponent Donald Trump. The Democrat is running against the Republican in the presidential election on November 5. The storm and its consequences could become a political issue shortly before the election. Similar to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which put the then government under Republican George W. Bush under pressure, the current administration is also under critical scrutiny regarding its crisis management. Trump is already trying to use the disaster for his election campaign.
During his visit to North Carolina, Biden said that politics must be put aside at a time like this. "There are no Democrats or Republicans, only Americans," the president warned.
Many dead and devastating destruction
"Helene" hit land in northwest Florida on Thursday evening as the second-highest category hurricane, then weakened somewhat and moved further north. The storm left behind immense devastation in six states. Today, Biden is traveling to the affected areas in Florida and Georgia. Harris is also planning further visits to the regions devastated by the storm in the coming days.
According to counts by US broadcaster CNN, at least 189 people have died and hundreds are still missing. According to the authorities, most of the deaths were caused by fallen trees. US media report that "Helene" is one of the deadliest storms in recent decades; since 1950, only eight storms on the US mainland have claimed more than 100 lives.
Mules in action
By midday on Wednesday (local time), more than one million households in the disaster area were still without electricity. Large parts of the power grid were destroyed, particularly in North and South Carolina. Roads are impassable in many places, making it difficult to deliver urgently needed relief supplies. In areas that are difficult to access, mules are even being used to transport supplies, as reported by US media.
As many people have no cell phone reception, search and rescue teams are leaving handwritten instructions. Some survivors write their names on plastic sheets, which are then shared online to inform their relatives. The satellite internet service Starlink has announced that it will provide affected regions with free network access for 30 days.
Scientists warn that climate change is the cause
Scientists blame climate change, mainly caused by the burning of fossil fuels, for the increase in extreme weather events such as "Helene". Rising temperatures in the oceans contribute to the intensification of hurricanes by feeding more energy and moisture into the storms. In addition, rising sea levels lead to stronger storm surges.
SDA
