DeSantis launched Operation Blue Ridge, which will fly Florida residents stranded in North Carolina by the hurricane to safety. Rescuers in Florida can use boats instead of vehicles to help residents, but the area it by the storm is several hundred miles away from any coastline.

The governor ordered rescue missions to help Floridians stranded in western North Carolina by floods spurred by Helene.

More than 110,000 customers in Florida were still without electricity on Monday afternoon while thousands in the Carolinas were desperate for food, water and shelter.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida has what it needs to clean up after Hurricane Helene and that the federal government should instead focus relief efforts on North Carolina, where search and rescue missions continue following catastrophic flooding.