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Donald Trump has visited a city badly affected by Hurricane Laura, inspecting widespread damage and receiving reports on relief efforts.
Their trip to Lake Charles came just two days after the category four storm devastated the Gulf Coast, particularly Louisiana and Texas.
At least 16 people died, more than half due to carbon monoxide poisoning from the unsafe operation of generators.
Donald Trump visited devastated neighborhoods in Lake Charles
Before the storm made landfall, more than half a million people were ordered to leave their homes near the Texas-Louisiana state line.
A storm surge of up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) drowned buildings and pushed trees away in states as far north as Arkansas, forcing hundreds of thousands of coastal residents to evacuate despite ongoing coronavirus lockdown measures.
150 mph (240 km / h) winds from Hurricane Laura smashed the windows of tall buildings in Lake Charles, leaving glass and debris strewn across the city.
The devastation of the floods of Hurricane Laura seen from above
A 68-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl were among at least four people killed by trees falling on top of their homes, authorities said.
Hundreds of thousands of people in the state currently have no access to power or water, which could continue for months as the hot summer drags on in the southern states.
Homes in Louisiana were washed away by the hurricane
“I’m here to support the great people of Louisiana,” Trump said at a news conference in Lake Charles, adding, “It was a tremendously powerful storm.”
He said he knew one thing about the state of Louisiana: “They rebuilt it fast.”
The president posed with troops of the National Guard in the city
The president spent just over two hours in the city, during which time he met with local and state officials as well as humanitarian workers, but not with residents whose homes and businesses had been destroyed by the storm.
The president is to visit the Texas town of Orange next, located on the Louisiana border.
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