Biden to visit flood-stricken Kentucky

President Joe Biden and the first lady will join Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and his wife Brittany to inspect damage from the worst flooding in state history and meet with the families of the victims.

At least 37 people died after flooding last month after heavy rains and thunderstorms brought 8 to 10 1/2 inches of rain in just 48 hours. The National Weather Service said Sunday that flooding remains likely through Thursday.

Biden’s visit Monday will be his second visit to Kentucky. The president previously visited the state in December after a series of tornadoes killed 77 people.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said authorities are doing all they can to help people cope with the aftermath, while Biden expanded federal disaster relief for Kentucky, ensuring the federal government will cover all costs of debris removal and other emergency measures.

White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated more than $3.1 million to deal with the aftermath, and hundreds of rescue workers have been deployed to help.

The flooding came just a month after Beshear visited Mayfield to celebrate the completion of homes that had been rebuilt after the tornado nearly destroyed the town. As he did after the tornado, the governor opened relief funds going directly to residents of the affected areas.

Polls show the state governor has high approval ratings among Kentuckians. But several prominent Republicans have entered the race for governor, taking turns criticizing the governor for his aggressive response to the pandemic and trying to tie him to Biden and rising inflation.