Hurricane Ida: Biden Travels To Louisiana As Death Toll Rises In Northeast

President Joe Biden is set to visit Louisiana and personally witness the destruction of Hurricane Ida and meet Gov. John Bel Edwards. The move comes as the storm's havoc in the Northeast also continues to be felt with a still-rising death toll.

At least 60 people died across eight states affected by Ida.

Biden is scheduled to arrive at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport where he will travel to the communities most affected and will deliver remarks. He is also scheduled to meet with local leaders, after previously making remarks about the disaster from Washington.

"We’re here for you," Biden said in a Thursday speech addressing the damage the hurricane caused. "We're all in this together, the nation is here to help."

The category 4 hurricane struck New Orleans last weekend with winds up to 150 mph, causing billions of dollars in damage. Nearly a million residents are expected to be without power for weeks. Nine deaths have been reported in Louisiana.

The Northeast also saw the brunt of the storm, which still packed a punch even after being downgraded. Forty-six deaths have been recorded in the region, with 16 in New York. Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) has confirmed 25 people died in his state. Additional deaths were reported in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maryland.

Biden has urged insurance companies to step up and cover their customers during the crisis.

“Don’t hide behind technicality. Do your job. Keep your commitment to your communities that you insure. Do the right thing,” Biden said.

Crews continue to clean up debris, clean mud from the streets and restore service to public transportation that had been shut down from the floodwaters in affected areas.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the flooding from Ida “the biggest wake-up call we’ve seen in years,” and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned storm systems could be overwhelmed again due to climate change.

“One thing I want to make clear. We’re not treating this as if it is not going to happen again for 500 years,” Hochul said.