Climate change is here, Biden said in reference to devastation caused by Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in the southern state of Louisiana and its wind-driven remnants pummeled New York and New Jersey.

In statements from the White House, the US president also alluded to the wildfires that daily ravage thousands of hectares in the western region of the country.

President Biden recognized that his country really needs to be better prepared and argued how the infrastructure bill already passed by Senate and pending analysis in the Lower House would clear the way for key investments in power grids and transmission lines more resistant to storms, wildfires and floods.

Hurricane Ida – now downgraded to Tropical Depression – battered several states in the United States in last few hours, leaving at least 25 deaths.

In his speech, the US president listed his administration´s separate actions to speed up a recovery process.

He noted that Federal Aviation Administration is working together with the Louisiana and Mississippi power companies to authorize the use of surveillance drones to assess damaged regions.

Similarly, Biden called on private insurance companies to keep their commitments to affected communities and asked the Department of Energy to use all tools at its disposal to guarantee supply, including the use of the strategic fuel reserve.

pgh/Pll/msm / avr