By Trevor Hunnicutt
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration has approved more than $1.8 billion for recovery efforts after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the White House said on Wednesday.
The spending comes as states in the southeastern US try to recover from back-to-back hurricanes that caused widespread destruction.
The recovery is expected to take a long time. Two storms struck within two weeks of each other, straining federal resources in addition to tens of billions in insured losses.
Biden has approved federal aid to help residents and local governments cover costs, including temporary shelter and water, removing debris and restoring power. Approximately 8,000 federal personnel are currently on site to support the recovery.
The Democratic president has called on US lawmakers – who are in recess until after the November 5 presidential election – to return to Washington to approve more emergency aid money.
