Trump wades in as 600 feared dead after Hurricane Helene
As many as 600 people are feared dead as a result of Hurricane Helene, with the response to the disaster fuelling a political brawl.
As many as 600 people are feared dead as a result of Hurricane Helene, with the response to the disaster fuelling a political brawl after Donald Trump accused Joe Biden and Kamala Harris of refusing to take calls pleading for federal assistance.
The official death toll stood at 130 on Tuesday, but White House Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall warned Americans that was likely to rise substantially.
“The current data we have is that it looks like there could be as many as 600 lost lives,” she said. “We know there are 600 who are either lost or unaccounted for.”
The President, who is to visit North Carolina – one of the hardest hit states – on Wednesday, said his government would “continue to surge resources, including food, water, communications and life-saving equipment”.
“We will be there with you as long as it takes,” Mr Biden said.
In storm-hit Georgia on Tuesday, Mr Trump said his visit was not about politics, but attacked Mr Biden the Vice-President for what he claimed was a poor response.
“Our country is in the final weeks of a hard-fought national election, but in a time like this, when a crisis hits, when our fellow citizens cry out in need, none of that matters,” he said, only to add that Mr Biden and Ms Harris weren’t doing enough.
“They’re being very nonresponsive,” he said, claiming they had failed to take calls from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
The White House quickly pointed out that Mr Biden and spoken to Mr Kemp
“Let me get this straight – he’s lying,” Mr Biden said when asked about Mr Trump’s claims. “I don’t know why he does this, and the reason I get so angry about it – I don’t care about what he says about me, I care what he communicates to the people that are in need. He implies that we’re not doing everything possible. We are.”
Mr Trump has earlier angered the White House by claiming Mr Biden was “sleeping” in Delaware when Helene tore through the southern states.
AFP
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