<p>US President Joe Biden on Sunday (Oct 13) surveyed the damage in Florida caused by Hurricane Milton, the second storm to batter the low-lying state in recent weeks as rising floodwaters, fuel shortages and power outages further impacted cleanup efforts.</p>

<p>Milton, which led to at least 17 reported deaths, has added to piles of debris following Hurricane Helene, with electricity and fuel still unavailable in many areas.</p>

<p>Biden’s Marine One helicopter thundered along Florida's western coast from Tampa to St. Petersburg over a landscape of golf courses, waterfront skyscrapers. The aerial tour showed communities battered by the storm and offered a firsthand view of the shredded roof of Tampa Bay Rays' baseball stadium, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.</p>

<p>Heaps of mattresses, siding, couches, microwave ovens, pillows and busted-up kitchen cabinets all lined the island's roads, some still covered in large patches of sand, as Biden walked through with emergency responders. One photo album still lay scattered in the street.</p>

<p>“Help,” one resident asked Biden in lettering on one pile of household debris.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/florida-reels-from-hurricane-milton-10-dead-millions-left-without-power-766469"><strong>Also read | Florida reels from Hurricane Milton: 17 dead, millions left without power</strong></a></p>

<p>Biden, touring the area along with US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, will also meet with residents before making public remarks.</p>

<p>Flooding is expected to continue around the Tampa Bay and the Sanford area northeast of Orlando as river waters continue to rise, according to the National Weather Service's website.</p>

<p>More fuel distribution sites are scheduled to open on Sunday, according to the state's emergency operations centre.</p>

<p>Biden is set to announce $612 million for six Department of Energy projects in areas affected by the hurricanes to improve the resilience of the region's electric grid, the White House said. The funding includes $94 million for two projects in Florida: $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million for Switched Source to partner with Florida Power and Light.</p>

<p>Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert said recovery was expected to take a long time as officials continued to restore power more widely and extend more services to barrier islands by late Monday</p>

<p>"It's still a mess," she told ABC News' "This Week" programme. "People are coming together. Neighbours are helping neighbours. It's been heartening to see all of the outpouring of support and help that people have been offering."</p>

<p>Climate change and faster hurricanes, with the two recent back-to-back storms pummeling Florida raising questions of infrastructure resilience&nbsp;even as many residents vow to stay put. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he is unlikely to prevent people from rebuilding in vulnerable areas.</p>

<p>While Milton was not as destructive as officials had initially forecast, analysts have estimated insured losses for between $30 billion and $60 billion.</p>

<p>Biden&nbsp;administration has approved federal aid to help residents and local governments cover expenses but has said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would need additional funding from the US Congress even though it has enough now to meet immediate storm needs.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hurricane-milton-florida-recovers-from-miltons-wrath-766917"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Hurricane Milton: Florida Recovers From Milton's Wrath</strong></a></p>

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<p>Biden, a Democrat, last week called on lawmakers, who are on recess until after the Nov. 5 election, to return to Washington to approve more FEMA money.</p>

<p>"We need Congress to act swiftly to fund FEMA and specifically its Disaster Relief Fund because hurricane season is not over, and also seasons are less and less important now, given the effects of climate change," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CBS News' "Face the Nation."</p>

<p>But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday resisted White House and state lawmakers appeals to approve more disaster assistance, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" programme: "The states have to go and calculate and assess the need and then they submit that to Congress and that takes some time."</p>

<p>Relief efforts have also been hampered by a trail of misinformation, including conspiracy theories about officials controlling the weather. Politics has also infiltrated recovery with just three weeks to go until the presidential election.</p>

<p><em>Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.</em></p>


US President Joe Biden on Sunday (Oct 13) surveyed the damage in Florida caused by Hurricane Milton, the second storm to batter the low-lying state in recent weeks as rising floodwaters, fuel shortages and power outages further impacted cleanup efforts.

US President Joe Biden on Sunday (Oct 13) surveyed the damage in Florida caused by Hurricane Milton, the second storm to batter the low-lying state in recent weeks as rising floodwaters, fuel shortages and power outages further impacted cleanup efforts. Milton, which led to at least 17 reported deaths, has added to piles of debris following Hurricane Helene, with electricity and fuel still unavailable in many areas. Biden’s Marine One helicopter thundered along Florida's western coast from Tampa to St. Petersburg over a landscape of golf courses, waterfront skyscrapers. The aerial tour showed communities battered by the storm and offered a firsthand view of the shredded roof of Tampa Bay Rays' baseball stadium, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. Heaps of mattresses, siding, couches, microwave ovens, pillows and busted-up kitchen cabinets all lined the island's roads, some still covered in large patches of sand, as Biden walked through with emergency responders. One photo album still lay scattered in the street. “Help,” one resident asked Biden in lettering on one pile of household debris. Also read | Florida reels from Hurricane Milton: 17 dead, millions left without power Biden, touring the area along with US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, will also meet with residents before making public remarks. Flooding is expected to continue around the Tampa Bay and the Sanford area northeast of Orlando as river waters continue to rise, according to the National Weather Service's website. More fuel distribution sites are scheduled to open on Sunday, according to the state's emergency operations centre. Biden is set to announce $612 million for six Department of Energy projects in areas affected by the hurricanes to improve the resilience of the region's electric grid, the White House said. The funding includes $94 million for two projects in Florida: $47 million for Gainesville Regional Utilities and $47 million for Switched Source to partner with Florida Power and Light. Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert said recovery was expected to take a long time as officials continued to restore power more widely and extend more services to barrier islands by late Monday "It's still a mess," she told ABC News' "This Week" programme. "People are coming together. Neighbours are helping neighbours. It's been heartening to see all of the outpouring of support and help that people have been offering." Climate change and faster hurricanes, with the two recent back-to-back storms pummeling Florida raising questions of infrastructure resilience even as many residents vow to stay put. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has said he is unlikely to prevent people from rebuilding in vulnerable areas. While Milton was not as destructive as officials had initially forecast, analysts have estimated insured losses for between $30 billion and $60 billion. Biden administration has approved federal aid to help residents and local governments cover expenses but has said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would need additional funding from the US Congress even though it has enough now to meet immediate storm needs. Watch | Hurricane Milton: Florida Recovers From Milton's Wrath × Biden, a Democrat, last week called on lawmakers, who are on recess until after the Nov. 5 election, to return to Washington to approve more FEMA money. "We need Congress to act swiftly to fund FEMA and specifically its Disaster Relief Fund because hurricane season is not over, and also seasons are less and less important now, given the effects of climate change," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told CBS News' "Face the Nation." But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday resisted White House and state lawmakers appeals to approve more disaster assistance, telling NBC News' "Meet the Press" programme: "The states have to go and calculate and assess the need and then they submit that to Congress and that takes some time." Relief efforts have also been hampered by a trail of misinformation, including conspiracy theories about officials controlling the weather. Politics has also infiltrated recovery with just three weeks to go until the presidential election. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Hurricane Milton: President Biden may announce over $600 million for recovery

<p>It was mayhem on Florida streets Thursday (Oct 10) as Hurricane Milton tore through the US state, leaving behind a trail of massive destruction and piles of debris. Government officials said the monster storm left at least 16&nbsp;people dead, including six in St. Lucie County on Florida's Atlantic coast. More than 11 million people still faced threats of flash and river flooding in the state. At around 11:50 am ET on Thursday, more than 3.4mn people were facing power outages across the counties.</p>

<p>In an update, USA’s National Hurricane Center said all alerts were lifted in the state as the storm moved out to sea. The storm surge warning along Florida's west coast has now ended.</p>

<p>Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning that crews across the state spent the night clearing debris. US President Joe Biden’s administration had agreed to all of Florida’s requests for emergency assistance, he was quoted as saying by CNBC.</p>

<h2><strong>‘Downed power lines everywhere’</strong></h2>

<p>The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said there were uprooted trees and power lines everywhere.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Flooding and downed trees are affecting Dana Shores. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/teamHCSO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#teamHCSO</a> is working diligently to clear and recover these areas. <a href="https://t.co/PIrLHqjDSa">pic.twitter.com/PIrLHqjDSa</a></p>
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOSheriff/status/1844318542684094974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>“There are downed power lines and trees everywhere,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a post on social media.</p>

<h2><strong>Extensive damage in the Tampa Bay area</strong></h2>

<p>Tampa Mayor said in an update the city suffered extensive damage due to the storm, with more than half a million people without power in the area.</p>

<p>Jane Castor, however, expressed relief that Tampa didn’t see the expected surge, “saved a lot, that’s what we were really worried about.” She added that the risk of flooding was not over though.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwijtKeirYWJAxVmd_UHHZYzEIIQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-hurricane-miltons-scary-landfall-in-florida-captured-from-space-766315" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-hurricane-miltons-scary-landfall-in-florida-captured-from-space-766315&amp;ved=2ahUKEwijtKeirYWJAxVmd_UHHZYzEIIQxfQBKAB6BAgOEAE">Watch: Hurricane Milton's scary landfall in Florida captured from space</a></strong></p>

<p>“At 7 a.m. when high tide comes in, rivers are going to flood all over Hillsborough County, not just in the city of Tampa,” she said.</p>

<h2><strong>Emergency services back</strong></h2>

<p>Emergency services are back on streets in the state after the storm passed over.</p>

<p>The Orlando Police Department and the Orlando Fire Department both said they were "back on the road" in an update on X.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwijtKeirYWJAxVmd_UHHZYzEIIQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-warns-hurricane-milton-could-be-floridas-worst-storm-in-century-765714" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-warns-hurricane-milton-could-be-floridas-worst-storm-in-century-765714&amp;ved=2ahUKEwijtKeirYWJAxVmd_UHHZYzEIIQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Biden warns Hurricane Milton could be Florida's worst storm in century</a></strong></p>

<p>Services were responding to the emergency calls in the state, with crew rescuing 15 people from a house hit by a tree in one incident in the Tampa area.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


It was mayhem on Florida streets Thursday (Oct 10) as Hurricane Milton tore through the US state, leaving behind a trail of massive destruction and piles of debris.

It was mayhem on Florida streets Thursday (Oct 10) as Hurricane Milton tore through the US state, leaving behind a trail of massive destruction and piles of debris. Government officials said the monster storm left at least 16 people dead, including six in St. Lucie County on Florida's Atlantic coast. More than 11 million people still faced threats of flash and river flooding in the state. At around 11:50 am ET on Thursday, more than 3.4mn people were facing power outages across the counties. In an update, USA’s National Hurricane Center said all alerts were lifted in the state as the storm moved out to sea. The storm surge warning along Florida's west coast has now ended. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning that crews across the state spent the night clearing debris. US President Joe Biden’s administration had agreed to all of Florida’s requests for emergency assistance, he was quoted as saying by CNBC. ‘Downed power lines everywhere’ The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said there were uprooted trees and power lines everywhere. Flooding and downed trees are affecting Dana Shores. #teamHCSO is working diligently to clear and recover these areas. pic.twitter.com/PIrLHqjDSa — HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) October 10, 2024 × “There are downed power lines and trees everywhere,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a post on social media. Extensive damage in the Tampa Bay area Tampa Mayor said in an update the city suffered extensive damage due to the storm, with more than half a million people without power in the area. Jane Castor, however, expressed relief that Tampa didn’t see the expected surge, “saved a lot, that’s what we were really worried about.” She added that the risk of flooding was not over though. Also read: Watch: Hurricane Milton's scary landfall in Florida captured from space “At 7 a.m. when high tide comes in, rivers are going to flood all over Hillsborough County, not just in the city of Tampa,” she said. Emergency services back Emergency services are back on streets in the state after the storm passed over. The Orlando Police Department and the Orlando Fire Department both said they were "back on the road" in an update on X. Also read: Biden warns Hurricane Milton could be Florida's worst storm in century Services were responding to the emergency calls in the state, with crew rescuing 15 people from a house hit by a tree in one incident in the Tampa area. (With inputs from agencies)

Hurricane Milton: Florida ‘clearing debris’ as monster storm passes over, 16 dead

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Hurricane Milton: President Biden may announce over $600 million for recovery

Hurricane Milton: Florida ‘clearing debris’ as monster storm passes over, 16 dead