Florida Recovery From Hurricane Ian Will Take Years, US Government Aid to Persist - Biden

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US government disaster assistance to Florida will continue for the years-long time period officials expect recovery efforts to take in the state following the impact of Hurricane Ian, President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.

"We’re [the US government] not leaving until this gets done, I promise you that," Biden said during a press conference in Florida, where he viewed impacted areas and recovery efforts. "It’s going to take a lot of time - not weeks or months - it’s going to take years for everything to get squared away in the state of Florida, to fully recover and rebuild."

High winds and rainfall from Hurricane Ian caused severe damage to infrastructure, including homes, businesses and the power grid. On Wednesday, the Biden administration extended full federal funding for debris removal efforts to a full 60 days from the start of the incident period.

The damage is expected to cost the United States billions of dollars, although comprehensive damage assessments have yet to be undertaken, Federal Emergency Management Agency head Deanne Criswell also said on Wednesday.

Dozens of deaths have been reported by officials across Florida, although a final casualty count has yet to be determined as search and rescue operations continue.

Local, state and federal officials are working jointly across all levels of government to provide relief to Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis said during the press conference alongside Biden. DeSantis also thanked the Biden administration for their assistance and touted the ability of officials to cut through bureaucracy and red tape to provide relief.