By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-03 02:51:28 | Updated at 2024-10-04 19:20:08
1 day ago
President Joe Biden berated climate change science skeptics on Wednesday, during a visit to survey the storm damage from flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
The president toured both South Carolina and North Carolina, traveling aboard his Marine One helicopter to view the historic flooding and devastation, six days after the storm first made landfall in Florida.
Over 160 people are now confirmed dead in six states as historic rainfall from the hurricane flooded entire towns, washed away homes, damaged many of the highways, and devastated the region.
'Nobody can deny the impact of the climate crisis anymore. At least I hope they don't,' he said. 'They must be brain dead if they do.'
Biden blamed climate change for fueling the strength of hurricanes like Helene.
'Scientists report that with warming oceans powering more intense rains, storms like Helene are getting stronger and stronger,' he said. 'Today in North Carolina I saw the impacts of that fury.'
The president described the storm as a 'storm literally of historic proportions' and promised continued federal aid to help victims of the storms.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) greets US President Joe Biden (R) upon arrival at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina
Marine One, carrying US President Joe Biden, flies above a storm impacted area near Asheville, North Carolina on October 2, 2024
US President Joe Biden (C) and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (L) receive an Operational Briefing at Raleigh Emergency Operations Center
Biden also called for everyone to 'put politics aside' during the time of crisis.
'There are no Democrats or Republicans, only Americans,' he said.
The president arrived in Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina before touring the storm damage via helicopter and concluding his visit with a briefing from emergency personal and local officials at the Raleigh Emergency Operations Center.
''My heart goes out to everyone who has experienced the unthinkable loss, but we're here for you,' he said during his remarks, adding, 'Kamala and I are here until the end.'
Buncombe County Emergency Services Assistant Director Ryan Cole described the flooding as 'biblical.'
'We have biblical devastation through the county, we've had biblical flooding here and it has been extremely significant,' he told the Citizen Times.
