President Biden speaks in entrance of a house destroyed by fallen timber and particles throughout a tour of communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia, in Live Oak, Fla., on Saturday.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Images

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Stefani Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Images

President Biden speaks in entrance of a house destroyed by fallen timber and particles throughout a tour of communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia, in Live Oak, Fla., on Saturday.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP by way of Getty Images

President Biden and first girl Jill Biden acquired to see the injury from Hurricane Idalia up shut as they toured the northern Florida metropolis of Live Oak on Saturday.

The metropolis, which is positioned a bit over an hour northeast of the place the storm made landfall early Wednesday as Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds, was one of many hardest hit areas.

Following each an aerial and strolling tour of the broken space, in addition to meet-and-greets with first responders and people affected by the destruction, Biden informed a crowd of onlookers and reporters that the spirit of the group “is remarkable.”

“When people are in real trouble the most important thing you can give them is hope,” the president mentioned. “There’s no hope like your neighbor walking across the street to see what they can do for you or the local pastor or someone coming in and offering you help — it gives you hope.”

As the storm blew inland, it left a path of downed timber, destroyed buildings and houses and flooded fields. Communities nearer to the shore have been hit with storm surge, whereas many houses alongside the Suwannee River have been broken and entire neighborhoods submerged in flood waters.

While an preliminary value of the injury wrought by the storm has but to be launched by the federal government, Moody’s estimates Idalia goes to value Florida and Georgia between $12 to $20 billion in injury.

According to the state government, energy restoration is ongoing with 90% of the facility that was knocked out by Hurricane Idalia having been restored as of Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, companies from all ranges of presidency proceed to work on restoration efforts. Biden assured residents that the federal authorities wasn’t going anyplace.

“Now the storm has passed and you’re dealing with what’s in its wake … we’re here to help the state long as it takes,” he mentioned.

As of Saturday, no storm-related deaths had been confirmed by Florida’s authorities.

Biden and the primary girl have been accompanied on their tour by Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott, however did not meet with the state’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s working for president.