Current:Home > InvestBiden says he and first lady will visit Hawaii "as soon as we can" after devastating wildfires-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Biden says he and first lady will visit Hawaii "as soon as we can" after devastating wildfires
lotradecoin token airdrop campaigns View Date:2024-12-26 03:15:01
President Biden said Tuesday that he and first lady Jill Biden are working on traveling to Hawaii "as soon as we can" to assess the damage from the state's devastating wildfires that have left at least 99 dead and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina on the island of Maui.
"The deadliest wildfire in more than a hundred years," Mr. Biden said Tuesday at an event in Milwaukee. "A whole city destroyed. Generations of native Hawaiian history turned into ruin."
Deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton said earlier Tuesday that the White House was having "active conversations" about when the Bidens could visit. More than 1,000 people still remain unaccounted for in Maui.
The president noted that he had approved Hawaii Gov. Josh Green's request for a federal disaster declaration, and that 500 federal personnel had been deployed to Hawaii. Mr. Biden said he had spoken to Green and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
"My wife Jill and I are going to travel to Hawaii as soon as we can. That's what I've been talking to the governor about," he said. "I don't want to get in the way, I've been to too many disaster areas, but I want to go and make sure they get everything they need. I want to be sure we don't disrupt the ongoing recovery efforts."
Mr. Biden said he had directed Criswell to streamline the process, and FEMA had so far approved 50,000 meals, 75,000 liters of water, 500 beds, 10,000 blankets and other shelter supplies to survivors. He said FEMA had also authorized one-time payments of up to $700 per household for residents who have been displaced.
The president said he had authorized "all available federal assets" to assist local crews, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the Navy's Third Fleet and the U.S. Army.
"Every asset they need will be there for them and we will be there in Maui as long as it takes," Mr. Biden said.
Last week, he approved the federal disaster declaration, clearing the way for federal funding to be provided to people on the island affected by the fires.
In Milwaukee, he toured Ingeteam, Inc., a clean energy company, and talked about his economic plan. He was set to return to the White House later in the day.
Green said Monday that search crews could recover "10 to 20 people" a day going forward, and Maui County Police Chief John Pelletier said that 25% of the area had been searched as of Monday night.
While much of the focus has been on Lahaina, fires continue to burn in the Upcountry region of Maui. In the Upcountry town of Kula, located just 25 miles east of the Lahaina disaster, firefighters on Tuesday were battling smaller blazes that have ravaged approximately 700 acres and claimed 19 homes.
- In:
- Maui
- Joe Biden
veryGood! (9766)
Related
- A fiery Texas politician launched a legal assault on Google and Meta. And he's winning.
- Deadly news helicopter crash likely caused by shaky inspections, leading to loose parts, feds say
- Kenya floods hit Massai Mara game reserve, trapping tourists who climbed trees to await rescue by helicopter
- Person fatally shot by police after allegedly pointing weapon at others ID’d as 35-year-old man
- Detroit judge orders sleepy teenage girl on field trip to be handcuffed, threatens jail
- A Black lawmaker briefly expelled from the Tennessee Statehouse will remain on the 2024 ballot
- Commuters cautioned about weekend construction on damaged Interstate 95 in Connecticut
- '9-1-1' stars talk Maddie and Chimney's roller-coaster wedding, Buck's 'perfect' gay kiss
- 51 Must-Try Stress Relief & Self-Care Products for National Relaxation Day (& National Wellness Month)
- Pregnant Francesca Farago Shares Peek at Jesse Sullivan’s & Her Twins
Ranking
- Stuffed or real? Photos show groundhog stuck inside claw machine
- Khloe Kardashian Reacts to Comment Suggesting She Should Be a Lesbian
- Maui suing cellphone carriers over alerts it says people never got about deadly wildfires
- William H. Macy praises wife Felicity Huffman's 'great' performance in upcoming show
- Get 10 free boneless wings with your order at Buffalo Wild Wings: How to get the deal
- How a Fight With Abby Lee Miller Ended Brooke and Paige Hyland's Dance Moms Careers
- Jalen Brunson is a true superstar who can take Knicks where they haven't been in decades
- TikToker Isis Navarro Reyes Arrested After Allegedly Selling Misbranded Ozempic
Recommendation
-
Lady Gaga’s Brunette Hair Transformation Will Have You Applauding
-
Michigan Supreme Court rules against couple in dispute over privacy and drone photos of land
-
NYC man pleads guilty to selling cougar head, other exotic animal parts to undercover investigator
-
Khloe Kardashian Reacts to Comment Suggesting She Should Be a Lesbian
-
Head of Theodore Roosevelt National Park departs North Dakota job
-
Torrential rains inundate southeastern Texas, causing flooding that has closed schools and roads
-
Jewish students grapple with how to respond to pro-Palestinian campus protests
-
Connecticut lawmakers take first steps to pass bill calling for cameras at absentee ballot boxes