(NewsNation) — Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have paused campaigning for the 2024 election to focus on Hurricane Helene.
Trump, the Republican nominee for president, spoke in Valdosta, Georgia, which saw damage from the storm. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has cut her campaign visit to Las Vegas short to return to Washington for briefings.
Millions of people from Florida to Virginia were without power Monday, days after Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, reaching up to 140 mph wind speeds. It killed more than 100 people across six states. Search and rescue crews are searching for those unaccounted for.
In Georgia, Trump said that despite the election, “when people need help, you have to pitch in,” calling it the “American spirit.” He also plans on going to North Carolina, another area that was badly affected. Over the weekend, Trump criticized Harris for holding fundraising and campaign events during Helene.
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At the beginning of a rally in Las Vegas Sunday, Harris said, “We will stand with these communities for as long as it takes to make sure that they are able to recover and rebuild.”
President Joe Biden addressed Helene as well Monday, saying he is committed to traveling to areas the storm hit, but he’s been told it would be disruptive to do so now.
“We will not do that at the risk of diverting or delaying any of the response assets needed to deal with this crisis,” Biden said. “My first response was to get all the help needed to those impacted areas. I expect to be there later this week.”
Biden approved major disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina. Lawmakers in Georgia have asked the president to “promptly consider” one for their state as well, NewsNation partner The Hill reports.
How to donate and assist Helene victims and survivors
A major disaster declaration means that people impacted can immediately access funds and resources, but there is still concern over getting assistance to those areas.
On Monday night, Biden spent two hours on the phone speaking with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other officials. Kemp said at a news conference in Augusta that they would work “in a bipartisan way on disaster relief in this state with our federal, state and local partners.”
Cooper said the devastation in western North Carolina was unprecedented.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
