Donald Trump traveled to Georgia to visit a town affected by the hurricane.Keystone
The extent of the damage from Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida Thursday evening before crossing other states, remains difficult to establish. The toll has increased and several areas remain inaccessible and without telephone networks and electricity. Donald Trump attacked the Biden administration’s handling of the disaster.
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With a provisional death toll and devastation in the southeast of the United States, Hurricane Helene entered the presidential campaign on Monday. At least 130 people lost their lives, including 57 in North Carolina, 29 in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia and 14 in Florida, according to a report compiled by AFP from statements by local authorities.
Hundreds of people remain missing following the bad weather, followed by sudden flooding. Georgia and North Carolina, two states particularly affected by this natural disaster, are among the seven pivotal states which could swing the presidential election on November 5.
Starlink deployment
Donald Trump visited Valdosta, a disaster-stricken town in Georgia, on Monday. The Republican presidential candidate in November pledged to “bring lots of relief supplies, including fuel, equipment and water” to those in need.
He announced that he had asked Elon Musk, the boss of SpaceX to whom he is close, to deploy his Starlink satellite internet service in the region.
“The federal state is not responsive,” the former president lambasted on the spot, after earlier accusing the government and Democratic authorities of North Carolina of “deliberately not helping people in Republican areas.”
“He’s lying”
Outgoing President Joe Biden has brushed aside criticism from Republicans over his handling of the crisis. “I spent at least two hours on the phone yesterday, as well as the day before,” he retorted, assuring that the federal authorities would be “there as long as necessary.” The Democrat became virulent:
“He’s lying. What angers me is that he implies that we are not doing everything that is possible. It’s wrong and it’s irresponsible.”
Joe Biden
The president also announced that he would travel to North Carolina on Wednesday. He had previously indicated that he would not travel as long as it could disrupt relief operations.
Wearing his usual red cap, Donald Trump also directly attacked his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, accusing her of being “on the move, campaigning” before asserting himself that it was not the time to “talk politics”. The vice-president, however, canceled campaign events to hold a meeting on Monday on the disaster and announced that she would go there soon.
Neighborhoods wiped off the map
In the affected states, rescuers continue to work to try to find survivors and bring food to residents hit by the disaster, sometimes cut off from the world.
In the southern Appalachian Mountains, Hélène caused flash flooding with impressive damage. Images from around Asheville, North Carolina, show neighborhoods wiped off the map here, roads destroyed there by a flooded river. Due to lack of access by road, the authorities are sending relief supplies, water and foodstuffs by air.
And for Joe Biden, there is “no doubt” that these devastations are due to climate change which, by warming the waters of the seas, makes, according to scientists, the rapid intensification of storms more likely and increases the risk of more powerful hurricanes.
Monday evening, more than 1.6 million homes and businesses were still without electricity, according to the poweroutage site.
“This is an unprecedented storm. The emotional and material toll is indescribable.
Ray Cooper, Governor of North Carolina (D)
He refuted Donald Trump’s accusations that Republican victims were being neglected: “If you need help, we will provide it,” he assured. “If there was ever a time to come together and put politics aside, it’s now.”
(ats/acu)
