U.S. President announces state of emergency  for California

U.S President Joe Biden has announced an emergency declaration for California on Saturday, as storms have invended the Golden State since Dec. 26, killing at least 19 people and bringing floods, power outages, mudslides, evacuations and road closures.

As he delivered remarks on the economy from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, Biden ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides, the White House said in a statement.

The president’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Mercede, Sacramento and Santa Cruz counties, according to the statement.

Reuters/S.O