President Joe Biden prepared the public for “a substantial loss of life” after Hurricane Ian, which has been temporarily downgraded to a tropical storm, battered Florida‘s southwest coast and traveled up the state’s eastern seaboard.
“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history,” Biden told reporters Thursday afternoon. “The numbers are still unclear, but we’re hearing early reports of what may be a substantial loss of life.”
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Biden, who said he would survey the damage in Florida and Puerto Rico when conditions permit, made the comments after being briefed on the situation at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Biden started his remarks by turning his back to a bank of TV cameras and addressing FEMA aides directly to tell them they are “doing a hell of a job” and “reinforcing people’s faith in institutions.”
“At times like this, America comes together,” he said. “We’re going to pull together as one team, as one America.”
Biden, who spoke with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Thursday morning, issued an emergency declaration after Ian made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, causing flash flooding and mass power outages.
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Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told ABC’s Good Morning America he expected Ian’s death toll to be in the hundreds.
