President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden met with officials in Kentucky on Monday, one day after expanding the number of counties eligible for federal aid.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency added four Kentucky counties eligible for federal assistance, bringing the total number to 12. The flooding was responsible for killing 37 and displacing hundreds.
The lingering damage left impassable roads, making it difficult for residents to obtain supplies.
"People don’t realize those piles of heavy debris, it takes a lot of time, a lot of money to take it away,” Biden said.
The National Weather Service estimates that some areas of Kentucky had 14-16 inches of rain in a four-day period. The agency said that the amount of rainfall the region had was “historically unheard of.”
The Bidens joined Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. On July 29, President Biden approved Beshear's emergency declaration request, which freed up resources from the FEMA.
"It is absolutely devastating out there. It's gonna take years to rebuild. People left with absolutely nothing, homes, that we don't know where they are. Just entirely gone," Beshear said.
The visit marks the president's second visit to Kentucky following a natural disaster. He visited western portions of the state following last December's massive tornadoes.
