Present but his desired out of the way, President Joe Biden flew over storm devastated regions of North and South Carolina on Wednesday. Briefed in Raleigh on emergency operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,

President Joe Biden speaks after visiting Helene damaged areas in North Carolina while also talking about relief efforts.

Biden said there are 70 dead North Carolinians and a hundred more who are still missing. From the air, Biden said, he could see damaged homes that had clearly been washed downstream. Chimney Rock, he said, was “reduced to piles of wood and debris. As you look down, that’s what you see as we flew over in a circle in the helicopter.”