WASHINGTON, Oct 2 – Novosti. US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill will visit the freely associated state of Puerto Rico and the state of Florida next week, both of which were hit by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Earlier, Biden announced a major natural disaster in Puerto Rico due to Cyclone Fiona. NBC News reported that the number of victims of Hurricane Ian in the US state of Florida has reached 77 people.
“On Monday, October 3, the President and First Lady will travel to Puerto Rico. On Wednesday, October 5, the President and First Lady will travel to Florida,” a White House spokeswoman wrote on her Twitter page.
The Washington Post notes that this will be Biden’s first trip to Puerto Rico as president.
Earlier, Hurricane Fiona left the entire territory of Puerto Rico without electricity, it was accompanied by record rainfall – up to 1000 millimeters fell in some regions. Biden has promised a major expansion of federal aid to the US-run state.
Hurricane Ian hit the southwest coast of Florida on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction and flooding, shutting down more than 2.5 million consumers and paralyzing telecommunications networks and airports. On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the damage from the hurricane “historic” and described the overflow of one of the local rivers as an event that happens once every five thousand years.
