After a severe storm ripped through Rhode Island earlier this week, the state’s congressional delegation traveled to Washington, D.C., and urged President Biden to approve federal disaster aid for the state.
In a statement, the delegation said the federal government must quickly approve any request from Rhode Island to support emergency operations and accelerate recovery from “significant local flooding.”
“This severe storm system wreaked havoc on certain parts of the state, and a number of neighborhoods were hit hard by flooding,” said U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo. “We are committed to doing everything we can to help in the recovery effort. With the storm behind us, it is now important for the State to work with local leaders, FEMA, and other federal partners to quickly assess the damage and determine what assistance can be provided to help communities, businesses, and homeowners get back on their feet.”
A major disaster declaration is needed before federal aid can be disbursed. To determine if that happens, Rhode Island must first assess the cost of the emergency response and damages associated with the storm.
According to the National Weather Service, some parts of northern Rhode Island received more than 4.5 inches of rainfall, which caused more than 70,000 power outages across the state.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
