Biden says Hurricane Ian could be ‘deadliest hurricane in Florida history’

President Biden said Hurricane Ian could become the deadliest in Florida history.

The president made the comment during a meeting with the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) on Thursday.

“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history,” Biden said. “The numbers are still unclear, but we are hearing early reports of a potentially significant loss of life.”

“My message to the people of Florida: It’s moments like these that America comes together. We’re going to work together as one team, as one America,” he said. Biden also noted that he would soon visit the state when it was appropriate to go.

It is currently unclear how many people have died as a result of Hurricane Ian. At least one man in Deltona has been confirmed to have died after falling into a canal during the storm.

Florida’s deadliest hurricane was the Okeechobee Hurricane, which struck the state in 1928 and killed about 2,500 people, mostly around Lake Okeechobee.

Biden said he spoke to Florida governor Ron DeSantis “four or five times” and the Republican governor thanked him for the federal government’s rapid response to disasters.

Earlier today, the president approved an accelerated request for federal emergency funds, meaning the federal government will cover the costs of cleaning up debris, rebuilding infrastructure and restoring public buildings such as schools and fire departments.

In recent weeks, DeSantis has been a fierce critic of the Biden administration’s policies, especially those related to immigration and the southern border. Despite this, Biden said the two have worked well together on disaster relief for the Sunshine State. “This is about saving lives, homes and businesses,” the president said.