President Biden coming to California this week to assess widespread storm damage
President Joe Biden will travel to California’s Central Coast Thursday to observe storm damage and “assess what additional federal support is needed,” the White House said.
While exact details are not final, Biden does plan to meet with first responders, state and local officials, and communities in several areas affected by the devastating “atmospheric river” storms that have left at least 20 people dead. The toll doesn’t include a 5-year-old boy who remains missing after being swept out of his mother’s car by floodwaters in San Luis Obispo County.
The storms have flooded businesses, homes and roadways, downed trees, caused mudslides and avalanches and prompted widespread evacuations and road closures since the new year. Biden had already issued an emergency declaration for the state, aimed at helping people and local officials coping with the storms.
That action generally means federal aid will come quickly, as federal agencies immediately become engaged in helping state and local agencies coordinate and relief efforts.
In the counties that qualified for help, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal department that specializes in disaster relief, can “ identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.”
On Sunday, Biden declared a major disaster in three counties. That means the federal government was making disaster assistance available to the state of California to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on Dec. 27.
The action made this funding available to those impacted in Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties.
The aid can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
A week ago, Biden issued an emergency declaration for 17 counties. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who requested the declaration, also pledged to set aside $202 million in state funds for flood safety investments in his upcoming budget proposal. He also sent FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to Sacramento to talk with authorities on the ground at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services near Sacramento.
The ninth storm in the three-week-long series pummeled parts of California on Monday, prompting new flood advisories and road closures, causing fresh evacuation orders and dropping heavy snow on the Sierra Nevada.
After this bout of rain and snow, forecasters are anticipating an easing of winter weather conditions, with cloudy and rainy skies parting for mostly sunshine and dry conditions over the next week.
This story was originally published January 16, 2023 at 6:00 PM.
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