President Biden to Visit Devastation in Louisiana on Friday

By Brie Stimson | Fox News

Hurricane Ida leaves parts of Louisiana feeling like a ‘third world country’
President Biden on Friday will tour the devastation left by Hurricane Ida when it slammed into Louisiana last weekend as a Category 4 storm.

Biden will speak with local and state leaders while in Louisiana.

Ida was the fifth most powerful storm to strike the U.S. with maximum winds of 150 mph, likely causing tens of billions of dollars in flood, wind and other damage, including to the electrical grid.

While White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the president would stay away if his presence would hamper recovery efforts, Louisiana Gov. Jon Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said a visit would be crucial for Biden's understanding of the situation.

Get our free mobile app

"There’s nothing quite like visiting in person," Edwards told reporters Wednesday. "When you see it for yourself, it is just so much more compelling."

The governor added that his list of requests from the president would be "very, very long" and would prioritize assistance to help people rebuild their homes.

At least eight deaths have been attributed to the hurricane, according to local authorities.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, in a statement thanked Biden for coming to the state to "help him understand the magnitude of the situation here in southeast Louisiana."

"We know from bitter experience with Hurricane Laura that aid can be delayed too long," Cassidy said, according to WDSU-TV New Orleans reported.

Biden’s visit comes as he is under heightened scrutiny over his chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.