The death toll from a storm in the southeastern U.S. reached 130 on Monday, sparking election campaign tensions. The White House dismissed criticism of its response. President Biden will visit North Carolina on Wednesday to assess rescue efforts, as hundreds remain missing across affected states.

The death toll from a devastating storm that battered the southeastern United States climbed to at least 130 on Monday, as the disaster became a hot topic in an already bitter election campaign, with the White House angrily refuting claims it had been slow to respond.

With hundreds still missing across several southeastern US states and the death toll climbing, President Joe Biden announced he would travel to storm-ravaged North Carolina Wednesday to monitor rescue efforts.

Biden also accused former president Donald Trump of spreading lies, after the Republican presidential candidate charged, without evidence, that the federal government was ignoring the disaster brought on by Hurricane Helene and denying help to his supporters.

"He's lying," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he had spoken to North Carolina governor Ray Cooper "and he told him he's lying. I don't know why he does it... that's simply not true, and it's irresponsible."

At least 118 people were killed by the storm and associated flooding -- 49 in North Carolina, 25 in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia, 14 in Florida, four in Tennessee and one in Virginia, according to tallies from local authorities compiled by AFP.

Emergency workers continued a grim search for hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the affected states, where torrential rains brought widespread havoc.

Source: Yahoo

BDST: 1030 HRS, OCT 01, 2024
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