Biden surveys hurricane damage in Florida

U.S. President Biden arrived in Florida on Saturday with First Lady Jill Biden to survey the damage wrought by Hurricane Idalia.

The Bidens toured the town of Live Oak, about 80 miles east of Tallahassee, and received a briefing on the recovery efforts.

Community members also shared their stories with the president, who also took an aerial tour with the Live Oak police chief.

In a press conference, Biden thanked officials and first responders of Florida for their efforts during and after the storm.

Biden said on Friday he would be meeting with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during his visit. A short time later the presidential hopeful DeSantis's office said there were no plans for such a meeting as it would "shut down ongoing recovery efforts."

Biden called the spirit of the recovering community "remarkable" and praised 20 states who sent line workers to aid in the restoration of power.

Biden also commented on his recent visit to Maui, Hawaii, where he surveyed the damage from deadly wildfires. He said the number of extreme weather events is expected to increase, and that no intelligent person can deny the impact of the climate crisis around the world.

（CGTN）