President Biden Will Visit California’s Devastated Central Coast Thursday

The White House said in a statement Monday that the president would visit with first responders and state and local officials, survey recovery efforts, and assess what additional federal support is needed.

However, the White House did not reveal the specific places that the president will visit.

Related Story: Fog and Frost Ahead as Waterlogged Valley Starts to Dry Out

Federal Disaster Assistance for Merced County

The president issued an emergency declaration for California on Jan. 8 to free up federal aid. Then, on Saturday, he authorized disaster assistance for hard-struck Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz counties.

According to a White House news release, assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Following days of rain, floodwaters surround homes and vehicles in the Planada community of Merced County, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. (AP File)

Flooding, Mudslide Risks Remain

The president’s trip was announced as the ninth atmospheric river in a three-week series of major winter storms was churning through the state.

The storms have dumped rain and snow on California since late December, cutting power to thousands, swamping roads, toppling trees, unleashing debris flows, and triggering landslides. Monday’s system was relatively weak compared with earlier storms, but flooding and mudslide risks remained because the state was so saturated, forecasters said.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)