President Biden will visit Kentucky this week to survey tornado damage

President Joe Biden is planning to come to the Bluegrass State in the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that hit the commonwealth over the weekend.

Biden is planning to travel to Fort Campbell on Wednesday for a storm briefing and will visit Mayfield and Dawson Springs, two of the towns hit hardest by the storms, to survey the damage. Additional details will be released before the trip, according to the White House.

"We have been working around the clock over the weekend closely with governors of impacted states and local leaders to ensure they have everything they need to respond to and recover from this unimaginable tragedy," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a Monday briefing.

She noted that Biden on Saturday approved a request for an emergency disaster declaration, allowing more federal resources to be sent to the state, and on Sunday approved a major disaster declaration to allow more funding to become available for temporary housing and home repairs for victims.

In a press briefing Monday morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the state is working with the White House to coordinate the trip.

"President Biden called me three times on Saturday and has moved faster than we've ever seen on getting us the aid we need," Beshear said. "We will welcome him here, we will thank him for his help and sadly, we'll show him the worst tornado damage imaginable, certainly the worst in our history."

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Biden had previously offered condolences to victims of the storm, which tore through the state late Friday night and led to scores of deaths.

Beshear previously said Biden indicated he would travel to areas that sustained heavy damage but that his office was working to make sure the trip does not interfere with recovery efforts.

Biden issued an emergency declaration Saturday in the immediate aftermath of the storm to get federal resources to Kentucky more quickly.

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Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell met with Beshear on Sunday and have worked with other state and local officials to gather more information about the damage caused by the storm.

Psaki said while in Kentucky, Biden will receive an update from local officials on what's needed from the federal government.

"He also wants to hear directly from people, and he wants to offer his support directly to them – people who have gone through over the last couple of days really incredible challenges, losing their homes, losing loved ones, losing parts of their community that they've grown up with," she said. "I think he wants to offer his support directly to them as well."

What's believed to be one of the most severe tornadoes in American history ripped through the western half of Kentucky late Friday night, leveling several small towns and devastating the commonwealth. Thousands are still without power and internet access more than 48 hours later. Three other smaller tornadoes are believed to have hit the state, causing mass damage in other areas of Kentucky.

USA TODAY'S John Bacon contributed. Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbach.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: President Joe Biden plans Kentucky visit to survey tornado damage