WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden flew to eastern Kentucky on Monday to survey damage from severe flooding that swept away houses and vehicles, and killed at least 37 people last week.
Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit families affected by the disaster along with Governor Andy Beshear, the White House said, before participating in a briefing on the emergency response efforts in Lost Creek, Kentucky.
The couple will also visit with affected families after the briefing and then Biden will deliver remarks.
After days of torrential rain, extreme hot weather descended on the region as families struggled to recover from the flooding.
The arduous task of cleaning up and rebuilding got under way last Wednesday as waters receded and remote areas became more accessible. Mountains of muddy debris, upended vehicles and homes dislodged from their foundations were common sights.
Survivors, gathered at temporary shelters in the stricken region, described the harrowing experience of escaping the fast-rising water with little more than their lives.
About 400 members of the Kentucky National Guard fanned out to deliver hundreds of cases of water and assisting in the recovery effort, Beshear said last week.
The U.S. president approved a major disaster declaration for Kentucky last week, freeing up federal funds for emergency work.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Alistair Bell)
