Vice President Kamala Harris touched down in Augusta, Georgia, on Wednesday afternoon to survey the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.
President Joe Biden, who was visiting North Carolina and South Carolina on Wednesday, had already signed a major disaster declaration for Georgia, which was confirmed by Gov. Brian Kemp after Donald Trump falsely accused President Biden of not being available to the governors in the states hardest hit by Helene.
The Vice President was accompanied by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and met with local leaders and first responders who briefed them on the current situation.
There are still more than 400,000 Georgians without power from the storm, with much of the outages concentrated in Augusta, Savannah, and Valdosta. The White House declared 41 Georgia counties a federal disaster, and more could soon be added.
While some residents have finally had power restored after several days without it, the city of Augusta remains under a water boil advisory.
Richmond, Columbia, and 39 other Georgia counties hit hardest by the storm may now apply for individual assistance online at disasterassistance.gov. The aid may be used to cover damage to homes and personal property as well as essential items such as water and baby formula.
Hurricane Helene's impact on the Southeast cannot be underestimated. The death toll has risen to over 100, with hundreds of others missing or unaccounted for from Georgia to North Carolina.
Hundreds of roads remain closed, especially in the Carolinas, blocking the delivery of badly needed supplies. Some areas are so inaccessible supplies are being delivered by mules and by air, and some people are hiking for hours to try to help loved ones. More than 1.5 million customers remain without power.