Article Author:
Associated Press
Chris Megerian And Bruce Shriner
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and First Lady will join Gov. Andy Beshear and Mrs. Britten. They meet with the family and witness the damage of the storm that caused the worst flooding in Kentucky history.
At least 37 people have died since last month's devastating floods, which brought 8 to 10 1/2 inches of rain in just 48 hours. The National Weather Service said on Sunday that flooding remained a threat and warned of more thunderstorms through Thursday.
Monday's Biden's visit to the state was his second. becomes. He previously visited in December after a tornado hit Kentucky, killing 77 people and leaving a trail of destruction.
"I wish I could tell you why we continue to be attacked here in Kentucky," Beshear said recently. "I would appreciate it if you could tell me why areas that may be sparsely populated continue to be hit and lose everything. I can't tell you why, but I know what we will do accordingly. And The answer is all we can do.These are our people.Let's make sure we help them."
Biden expands federal disaster assistance to Kentucky to help the federal government Guaranteed to cover all costs of demolition and other emergency measures.
White House spokesperson Carine Jean-Pierre said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided more than $3.1 million in relief funds and has deployed hundreds of rescue workers. .
The floods came just as Beshear visited Mayfield to celebrate the completion of the first fully constructed house since a tornado nearly wiped out the town. He was a month later. Three families were handed the keys to their new homes that day, and the governor listened in his remarks to the visit he made shortly after.
"We were beaten that day, but we vowed not to be beaten," said Beshear. "To get back on your feet and move forward. And he said for six months we're not just standing, we're not just standing, we're moving forward."
Now, More disasters are testing the state. Beshear has made as many trips to eastern Kentucky since the floods began, weather permitting. He has held daily hour-long press conferences to provide details, including any assistance to victims. As after the tornado, Beshear set up a relief fund that goes directly to people in the affected areas.
His Beshear, a Democrat, narrowly defeated the Republican incumbent in 2019 and is seeking his second term in 2023.
Polls show consistently high approval ratings among Kentuckians. However, several prominent Republicans have joined the governor's campaign, taking turns bashing the governor's aggressive handling of the pandemic and trying to tie him to Biden and rising inflation.
Beshear frequently comments on the cost of rapid inflation by eating up Kentuckians' budgets. Rather than blaming Biden, he points to Russia's aggression in Ukraine and supply chain bottlenecks as contributing to rising consumer costs.
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Shriner reported from Frankfort, Kentucky.
