Biden, Harris and Trump to visit Helene-ravaged communities
President Joe Biden says he will visit Hurricane Helene-impacted areas this week when it will not disrupt rescue and recovery operations.
Biden spoke Monday morning on the government’s response to the storm, which has devastated communities across ten states.
"It’s not just a catastrophic storm, it’s a historic, history-making storm - the entire Southeast and Appalachia," he said.
The death toll had reached to more than 100 Monday, and hundreds more were still unaccounted for because they couldn’t be contacted.
"There’s nothing like wondering, ‘Is my husband, wife, son, daughter, mother, father, alive?’ And many more remain without electricity, water, food and communications," Biden said.
RELATED: Helene aftermath: Social media pleas turn tragic as death toll climbs
Biden said he expects to have to ask Congress for additional money to cover federal disaster assistance to those who lost their homes and businesses by the "historic" wind, rain and flooding event, but he doesn’t yet know how much will be necessary to cover the damage.
Biden, Trump, Harris to visit Helene damages
Trump to visit GA areas impacted by Helene
Former President Donald Trump is set to visit a part of Georgia especially impacted by Hurricane Helene on Monday. The Republican candidate for president will be briefed on storm damage in Valdosta before weighing in on the distribution of relief supplies and delivering remarks at around 2 p.m. FOX 5 Atlanta's Brooke Zauner joined LiveNOW from FOX with the details.
Biden said he would be traveling to the region later this week, when it was clear that his travel wouldn’t impact the delivery of much-needed water, gas, food and other emergency supplies.
"We will not do that (travel) at the risk of diverting or delaying any of the response assets needed to deal with this crisis," he said. He said he expects to travel Wednesday or Thursday, and to be in North Carolina in particular.
When asked if Donald Trump’s presence in Georgia Monday was going to be disruptive, Biden said he didn’t have "any idea."
Former President Donald Trump's campaign announced earlier Sunday he'll visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday to survey Helene’s impact on that state, one of several hotly contested battlegrounds that will be pivotal in the November presidential election.
The White House said Vice President Kamala Harris will visit as well as soon as possible.
RELATED: Tennessee hospital floods, forcing 'dangerous' helicopter rescue
Hurricane Helene: What happened?
Helene on Thursday slammed into Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds.
A weakened Helene quickly moved through Georgia, then soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains that flooded creeks and rivers and strained dams.
RELATED: Asheville flooding: Hurricane Helene drone footage shows swallowed city streets
Homes and properties across the southeast were destroyed, and millions were left without power.
The storm unleashed the worst flooding in a century in North Carolina, where officials pledged to get more water and other supplies.