President Biden won't visit Houston this week to assess Hurricane Beryl recovery, mayor says

HOUSTON — According to Mayor John Whitmire, President Joe Biden won’t be visiting Houston this week to check in on the city’s recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Beryl.

“I respect the president’s decision,” Whitmire said during a news conference on Sunday.

Whitmire said Biden called after the storm hit to see what was needed to recover. He also said Biden’s “support is proving invaluable in addressing our long-term needs.”

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“Right now, my real focus is on Houstonians and their recovery and trying to make things better for Houston,” Whitmire said.

Whitmire said Biden was set to visit on Thursday before canceling. The president has been recovering from COVID and isolating at his Delaware home. 

Beryl claimed the lives of more than a dozen people in the Houston area. At least seven people died from hyperthermia in the days following the storm due to widespread power outages.

RELATED: Hurricane Beryl deaths: Here’s what we know about the victims who died before and after the storm

Cleanup efforts continued two weeks after the storm hit and multiple people died while cleaning up damaged trees.

Flooding was also to blame for several deaths.

KHOU 11 News reached out to the White House but they didn’t provide a comment.