Biden signs emergency declaration as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida

President Biden signed a disaster declaration Monday for Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches its coast, the second major storm to hit the state in recent weeks.

Biden’s emergency declaration authorized the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to free up additional resources to assist with the response to the hurricane.

The emergency declaration also means the federal government will provide additional funding to designated counties. Monday’s declaration cited more than three dozen counties likely to be impacted by the storm, including Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota.

Milton strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane Monday as it approached Florida, with officials warning of a dangerous storm surge in Tampa Bay and urging certain areas to evacuate.

The Associated Press reported the storm could make landfall Wednesday. It is expected to move across Florida toward the Atlantic Ocean, meaning other states would largely be spared from its impact.

Milton is arriving in Florida as the Sunshine State, as well as Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, are still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. That stormed killed more than 200 people after hitting the United States a little more than one week ago.

Biden last week visited the affected states to tour storm damage and vow the federal government would provide recovery support for as long as needed.