ASHEVILLE: US President Joe Biden witnessed firsthand the catastrophic destruction of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday and Vice President Kamala Harris distributed aid to families in need as thousands of federal responders joined an all-out effort to rescue residents and care for millions of people in the disaster. . Biden flew to Carolina and his deputy headed to Georgia after Harris’ election rival Donald Trump sought to turn their handling of the disaster — which has left at least 162 dead in six states — into campaign fodder. Biden arrived in South Carolina and was briefed on the massive rescue and recovery effort, an operation involving more than 10,000 federal officials, first responders and the National Guard in the southeastern United States. He then flew a helicopter over the flood-hit city of Asheville, North Carolina, showing aerial views of the stunning destruction, including collapsed bridges, debris-filled lakes, collapsed buildings and washed-out roads. “What I saw was heartbreaking,” Biden said on X. “But back on the ground, we see neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers and workers standing side by side, people leaning on each other. That’s America.” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who traveled with the president, described Helene as a storm of “historic strength” that brought catastrophic flooding to cities and remote mountain communities. “We have cities that have disappeared, literally,” he said. “This is a multi-billion dollar, multi-year recovery.” Biden, who has approved major disaster declarations in several states, announced the deployment of up to 1,000 active-duty troops to North Carolina to help “expedite the delivery of life-saving supplies” including food, water and medicine to isolated communities. While being briefed in the state, he spoke of Washington’s obligation to provide aid. “We’ll put politics aside at a time like this,” he said. “The nation has your back.” But he also warned how climate change is increasing the severity and frequency of extreme weather events. “No one can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore, at least I hope not,” Biden said. “If so, they must be brain dead.
