President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for California following storms that have left at least 19 people dead amid widespread flooding, mudslides, and other adverse weather incidents.
A similar declaration was issued in Alabama after severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes impacted Alabama on Jan. 12, according to the White House.
On Saturday, Biden issued an order to provide federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts after waves of storms hammered the state starting in late December as part of what the National Weather Service (NWS) is an “atmospheric river.”
“The president’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Merced, Sacramento and Santa Cruz,” the White House said in a statement. “Federal funding also is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz.”…