U.S. President Joe Biden (C) speaks about the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian and relief efforts as he visits Fisherman's Wharf while touring hurricane-damaged areas, in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, U.S., October 5, 2022. /Reuters
U.S. President Biden has announced additional disaster relief for Florida following Hurricane Ian, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
Biden has extended the period for full federal funding for debris removal and emergency protective measures an additional 30 days for a total of 60 days, according to the statement.
According to a CNN tally on Wednesday night, the death toll from Hurricane Ian in the United States has reached 125, while hundreds of thousands of customers remain without power.
On Wednesday, Biden and wife arrived in Florida and he later got an aerial view of the destruction during a helicopter flight and called the destruction horrific.
Biden previously said that hurricane Ian "is likely to rank among the worst in the nation's history."
Ian made landfall in southwestern Florida last week, bringing catastrophic storm surges, heavy rains and destructive winds, and dangerous flooding.
Estimated losses from Ian's wind and storm surges are between 28 billion and 47 billion U.S. dollars, according to CoreLogic, a U.S. research firm that estimates losses from natural disasters.
(With input from Xinhua)