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President Biden Approves Emergency Declarations in Tennessee, Illinois Following Devastating Tornadoes

On Monday (December 13th), President Biden announced he has approved emergency declarations in Tennessee and Illinois following a series of devastating tornadoes. 

In a statement, President Biden declared he has ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from the severe storms, winds, and tornadoes during the Friday  (December 10th) storms. 

Through the declaration, President Biden has authorized the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate all disaster relief efforts. This is in order to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the storms on the local population. Both organizations will provide appropriate assistance in order to save lives and protect property along with public and safety.

Counties part of President Biden’s declaration in Tennessee are Cheatham, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Obion, Stewart, and Weakley. In Illinois, the counties are Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike, and Shelby.

CNBC reports that the six states were hit by more than 30 tornadoes on Friday (December 10th) and Saturday (December 11th). The states are Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. One of the storms reportedly impacted four states, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, on at least a 220-mile path. The National Weather Service will notably perform an official survey to determine if it was a single, continuous tornado.

According to reports compiled by PowerOutage.us, over a hundred thousand customers were out of power following the storms. At least 88 people across five states are victims of the storms. More than 100 people are still missing in Kentucky.

President Biden to Travel to Kentucky This Wednesday to Survey the Storm’s Damage

President Biden is visiting Kentucky on Wednesday to survey the storm damage. He will be stopping at Fort Campbell for a storm briefing and then heading to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Kentucky. Both areas have considerably large damage due to the storms. 

White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki, confirmed President Biden will be speaking to some of the survivors of the tornado. “He also wants to hear directly from people, and he wants to offer his support directly to them,” she stated.

During a press conference on Saturday (December 11th), President Biden told reporters that his administration is standing by. “The federal government will do everything, everything it can possibly do to help. I promise you. Whatever is needed. The federal government is going to find a way to supply it.”

Meanwhile, President Biden is reassuring the public that his administration will not leave the highly impacted areas until the work is complete. “We’re going to get through this. And we’re going to get through this together. The federal government is not going to walk away.”