The US federal government will provide assistance to those affected by Hurricane Elin “for as long as necessary“, US President Joe Biden said today from the White House, while the death toll exceeds 100 dead in the southeastern part of the country.

“We will continue to provide supplies, food, water, telecommunications and rescue equipment“, said the American president.

“As I have already said, I repeat, we will be there as long as it takes to get the job done“, he added during a message.

Biden also said he spoke with the governors of Georgia and North Carolina, which were hit by Hurricane Elin, which destroyed communications and left millions without power.

The US head of state said he told North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper that he will visit the state later this week and expects to be there on Wednesday or Thursday.

He added that “may need to ask» that Congress be called into a special session in order to approve an additional funding package to help those affected.

As he noted, there are reports of 100 dead, while 600 people are missing after the typhoon.

Many missing

Rescue teams in North Carolina are racing against time today to reach people who have been missing for three days after Hurricane Elin swept through the southeastern United States.

In Bumcomb County, which was hit particularly hard, at least 35 people died, the sheriff said during a press conference. The county will begin distributing food and water later today to residents after some supplies were airlifted to the area, which has been cut off from the rest of the world by flooded roads and power outages.

“We have no water and no electricity in most of the county… the roads remain incredibly dangerousCounty Executive Avril Pinder said.

Cell phone network is down in many areas, from Ohio, North and South Carolina to Florida. About 2.1 million homes and businesses remain in the dark today, according to the website Poweroutage.us.

“The lack of communications is worrying“, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said today during an interview with CNN.

“We know there are missing people and we know there will be significant loss of life when this is over and our prayers go out to those families».

Cooper, who had not heard from his son and daughter for 72 hours, added that officials and rescuers were going door-to-door to check on the condition of those affected in several communities.

The National Guard is also actively involved in the operations, and emergency workers from 19 states have rushed to help.

At least 100 people have died since the hurricane’s devastating passage through the southeastern United States, according to a tally by AFP and Reuters news agency, based on statements by local authorities.

In North Carolina, the hardest-hit state, the death toll currently stands at at least 39. At least 25 people have been killed in South Carolina, 17 in Georgia, 14 in Florida, 4 in Tennessee and one in Virginia.

Damages are estimated at between $15 billion and at least $100 billion, based on estimates from insurance companies over the weekend.