Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kurova Coleman.

President Biden is heading to California today.

You'll get a look at some of the storm damage that has occurred there over the last few

weeks.

Flooding, landslides, and heavy snows have damaged hundreds of homes and left at least 20

people dead.

From member station K.A.Z.U. Jeremiah Edding reports, the president's visit today will include

several stops along the state's central coast.

The president plans to visit parts of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, where he'll

meet with business owners, first responders, and residents impacted by the disaster.

The state has suffered nearly three weeks of consecutive atmospheric rivers, storms that

brought to-rential downpours along the coast, and multiple feet of snow in the mountains.

State officials estimate at least $1 billion in damage.

Biden will be joined by California Governor Gavin Newsom, both the president and the

governor declared the recent storms a major disaster.

The last of these storms hit the region Monday night.

With a break in the rain, California residents are just beginning to recover.

For NPR News, I'm Jeremiah Edding in Monterey.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in Germany today.

He's meeting with the new German Defense Minister.

Germany is coming under pressure to allow heavy tanks to be shipped to Ukraine to fight

Russian forces.

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