PresidentJoe Bidenvisited Northern California on Thursday and met with Gov.Gavin Newsomand other local authorities to get a first-hand view of the devastation left in the aftermath of one of the worst rainfall events in recent years.
At least21 people have been killeddue to the extreme weather, added NBC News, citing their own internal tally.
After signing an expedited major disaster declaration for the state last week, Biden said the federal government would aid in the recovery effort further.
“Yesterday, I directed the federal government that we’llcover 100 percent of the costof removing debris and emergency measures like sheltering evacuees and paying overtime for first responders for the next 60 days,” Biden said in an afternoon news conference at Seacliff State Park in Aptos, a community in Santa Cruz county.
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Additionally, more than 500 FEMA employees and other federal agencies have been dispatched to the area to assist those hardest hit, he said, providing more than 100,000 meals and liters of water.
More than $9 billion had also been earmarked for California’s recovery from natural disasters since he took office, Biden continued.
“He (Biden) said, ‘We’re going to get you the money. We’re going to give the governor the money to take care of this,'” Chuck Hammers, a pizza shop owner, toldThe New York Times.
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In his remarks, Biden linked the massive destruction to the impact of global climate change.
“You’ve been hit — if anybody doubts that climate is changing, then they must have been asleep for the last couple of years,” he said.
source: people.com
