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US President Joe Biden disembark from Air Force One on his arrival at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek on May 20, 2022.
Lee Jin-man | AFP | Getty Images
President Joe Biden on Thursday will visit parts of California to view areas affected by severe storms and assess additional federal support needed for recovery efforts.
The president will survey areas of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties along the state’s central coast, where recent storms caused floods and landslides.
Biden is set to meet with first responders, state and local officials, and communities affected by the devastation. The administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Deanne Criswell, will travel with the president, who will also meet with Gov. Gavin Newsom.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday that Biden has been closely monitoring the situation in California in recent weeks and is regularly briefed by his homeland security team. He has remained in contact with Newsom and other local officials.
A flooded house is seen partially underwater in Gilroy, California, on January 09, 2023.
Josh Edelson | AFP | Getty Images
Biden’s visit to California comes after the White House announced he approved a disaster declaration for the state focusing federal aid on three hard-hit counties: Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz. The declaration provides federal support for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and individual assistance for homes that have been damaged by storms. More than 500 FEMA have been deployed to aid response and recovery operations, Jean-Pierre said.
The Golden State was battered by a series of storms since late December, leaving at least 21 people dead, according to an NBC News tally.
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