U.S. President Donald Trump is expected on Wednesday to visit North Carolina, which is bearing the brunt of Florence’s deadly deluge and where rivers are still rising while thousands of homes and roadways remain submerged.
Trump’s trip to the state follows criticism for his handling of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico last year, and more recently for disputing the official death toll of 3,000 in the U.S. territory.
Trump plans to arrive at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina at about 10:30 a.m. local time and return to Washington D.C. at 6:15 p.m., according to the White House.
More than 15,000 people remain in shelters and more than 200,000 customers are without power across North Carolina, six days after Florence made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane, according to state officials.
“We continue to feel the effects of this massive storm,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said on Tuesday.
“Even though there is no substantial rain in the forecast and the sun may be shining across many parts of our state, rivers continue to rise and we will see more flooding.” he added.
