Florida on a 'long road' of rebuilding after Hurricane Ian, Biden says

US president pledges not to abandon state during joint news conference with Republican adversary in storm-ravaged state

US President Joe Biden looked to strike a unifying tone on Wednesday when he surveyed Hurricane Ian's destruction of Florida communities, putting political differences aside with the state's Republican governor to focus on the effects of the storm that took at least 100 lives.

Speaking in Fort Myers alongside Mr DeSantis, his potential rival for the presidency in 2024, Mr Biden pledged that he would not abandon the state, which will take years to rebuild.

“Look, there's a long road before us, rebuilding entire communities from the ground up,” he said during a joint news conference with the Florida governor.

“I want the people of Florida to know you have my commitment and America's commitment that we're not going to leave. We're going to see you through this entire process.”

Ian wiped out power to 2.6 million households and businesses when it made landfall in Florida. Hundreds of thousands still remained without power as of Wednesday afternoon.

Storm surges and winds reaching as high as 241 kilometres per hour wrecked cities, destroyed bridges and flooded motorways.

Fort Myers, a popular tourist destination, bore the brunt of the hurricane's damage.

After the storm passed, satellite images revealed the extent to which Fort Myers and Fisherman's Wharf had been damaged. The beach's pier was destroyed, houses were flattened and the once vibrant beach became a wasteland, its crystal-blue waters turning a dark brown.

Previewing the state's long recovery efforts, Mr Biden said it would take years for “everything to get squared away”.

He also met small business owners and local residents, and thanked officials who have provided relief assistance to those affected by the storm.

Mr Biden and Mr DeSantis made an effort to place the focus of the president's trip on those who had been killed in the storm as well as those reeling from damage to their homes and belongings.

“Mr President, welcome to Florida. We appreciate working together across various levels of government,” Mr DeSantis said.

The president's tone leading up to the trip was a unifying one and he lauded Americans' ability to put political differences aside during times of crisis.

When asked by reporters how he thought Mr DeSantis has handled the crisis, Mr Biden said he thought the governor has done a “good job”.

“We worked hand in glove. We have very different political philosophies, but we’ve worked hand in glove … In dealing with this crisis, we’ve been in complete lockstep,” Mr Biden said.

Wind gusts, blowing down King Street, twist umbrellas during Hurricane Ian in Charleston, South Carolina. AP

Flood waters on the streets of the South Battery in Charleston, South Carolina, as Hurricane Ian blows through on September 30. AP

People wander the wreckage at a beach community in Bonita Springs, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. AFP

A US Coast Guard helicopter provided residents of Sanibel Island in Florida with an airlift after Hurricane Ian blew through. AP

A satellite view taken by imaging company Planet Labs shows damage inflicted on an island in the Sanibel Causeway in Florida by Hurricane Ian. AP

A combination of satellite images from Maxar Technologies shows San Carlos Boulevard in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on August 17, top, and after Hurricane Ian, bottom, on September 30. AFP

Householder John Quigley carries a piece of artwork made by his daughter, the only item he found to salvage from the ruins of his home after Hurricane Ian, as he pulls his girlfriend's son Sebastian in a cart in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. AP

Fort Myers Beach in Florida after Hurricane Ian. AP

Clean-up at a restaurant in Georgetown, South Carolina, close to where Hurricane Ian made landfall on September 30. Reuters

Debris from beachfront homes and businesses covers a road after Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach in Florida. AP

Rescuer Eduardo Tocuya hopes to reunite a dog with its owners after Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach in Florida. AP

The Matlacha Isles west of Fort Myers in Florida after Hurricane Ian made its mark. EPA

A damage survey party at work after Hurricane Ian hit Fort Myers Beach in Florida. AP

Residents of Fort Myers Beach in Florida pick up the pieces after Hurricane Ian blew through. AFP

The collapsed Sanibel Causeway in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Sanibel, Florida. AFP

People clear debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. AFP

Robert Leisure on what was the second floor of his business premises in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida. AFP

People clear debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. AFP

Mr DeSantis also praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) for its management of the situation before the Category 4 hurricane struck.

“I will say, from local, state co-ordination and Fema — there’s been less bureaucracy holding us back in this one than probably any one I’ve ever seen,” he said.

After the storm passed, satellite images revealed the extent to which Fort Myers and Fisherman's Wharf had been damaged. The beach's pier was destroyed, houses were flattened and the once vibrant beach became a wasteland, its crystal-blue waters turning a dark brown.

Hurricane Ian could be the costliest storm in the state's history, catastrophe modeller Karen Clark & Company projected.