Biden says Hurricane Ian could be ‘deadliest’ in Florida history and warns against price gouging

President Joe Biden warned Florida on Thursday it could face the deadliest hurricane in its history, praising aid workers and warning gas companies not to use the devastation to raise prices.

And he tried to make up stories of rivalry with the populist Republican governor of Florida, claiming he had a good relationship with Ron Desantis.

“This is not about anything to do with our political differences,” he told a reporter during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC.

“This is about saving lives, homes and businesses.”

Hurricane Ian made landfall a day earlier, flooding both Florida coasts, cutting power supplies and killing at least one person.

Biden said this could be just the beginning.

“This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history,” he said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC.

“The numbers are still unclear, but we are hearing early reports of potentially significant loss of life.”

The Okeechobee Hurricane in 1928 killed 2,500 people, most of them in Florida.

The emergency was seen as a test of Biden’s relationship with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has positioned himself as a populist Republican with designs for the White House.

Biden snapped at a reporter who asked how their Thursday morning call had gone, saying the question was “totally irrelevant.”

“But I’ll answer it,” he said. Okay. Fine, very fine.

“He complimented me.

“He thanked me for the immediate response we had.

“He told me how much he appreciated it. He said he was very happy with what was going on.’

DeSantis has been one of the most prominent voices in the Republican Party’s cultural war attacks on the Biden administration.

He delighted supporters by chartering two planes to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Habour, an island enclave off the coast of Massachusetts famous for its wealthy visitors, including the Obamas.

Biden previously called the emergency a “major disaster,” releasing billions of dollars in aid.

“That means the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost of cleaning up debris and all the costs the state has to incur and spend to save lives,” Biden said during his visit.

“The federal government will also cover most of the cost of rebuilding public buildings such as schools and state fire stations.

“And people in Florida who have destroyed or damaged homes, [if] if you don’t have enough insurance, that means the federal government will provide $37,900 for home repairs individually and another $37,900 for lost property.”

The cost of repairing and reconstructing homes from the storm damage could reach $260 billion, according to real estate experts CoreLogic.

Biden warned oil and gas companies not to use the destruction for profit.

“My experts told me that production of only about 160,000 barrels per day has been affected by this storm.

‘That is less than two percent of the daily production in our country.

‘[This] a small and temporary impact on oil production is no excuse. No excuse for price increases at the pump. Period of time.’

He said he would instruct officials to investigate any reports of “price gouging”.

Biden also said he plans to visit Florida and meet DeSantis in person when “circumstances permit.”

He added that he planned to visit Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Fiona earlier this month.

“We know many families are in pain,” he said.

“Our whole country hurts with them.”

He urged those affected by Ian to take the warnings of local officials seriously to stay safe and stay indoors.

“Don’t go out unless you have to,” Biden said.