Communities reel in Hurricane Idalia aftermath

The recovery process continues as President Biden vows federal resources to the areas hardest-hit, with plans to survey the damage tomorrow.

Transcript

00:00 This morning, Edalia from Florida to the Carolinas, leaving behind a trail of devastation.

00:06 In the big bend of the Sunshine State, where Edalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane,

00:12 buildings and businesses destroyed.

00:15 It was heartbreaking.

00:16 She had many tears.

00:20 And just thank God nobody died.

00:25 As ripped from their foundations, cars and debris littered the landscape.

00:30 Here in St. Petersburg, Florida, more than 24 hours after Edalia had passed, most of

00:34 the waters have receded, except some neighborhoods are still flooded, like this one, up to 10

00:40 inches.

00:41 This mother of five returned from evacuation to find her home inundated with up to two

00:45 feet of water.

00:47 Outside, this pile of their belongings, all of it destroyed.

00:51 You just brought it all out here?

00:52 Yeah.

00:53 We have a dump truck where the city said they were going to come pick everything up, so

00:57 we're just trying to get it all out, get the house dried out.

01:00 It sucks to lose everything.

01:01 Everything, including her home itself.

01:04 Where are you going to go after this?

01:06 Well, we still kind of have to figure that out, but we're safe and healthy and everything's

01:13 replaceable.

01:14 President Biden signing a major disaster declaration for Florida with plans to survey the damage

01:19 on Saturday.

01:20 Our immediate priority is working with state and local officials to really understand what

01:24 their needs are.

01:27 President Biden is asking Congress for billions of dollars in extra disaster relief funding

01:31 in the wake of Edalia and the wildfire disaster in Maui.

01:35 EmWyn, ABC News, St. Petersburg.