Trump, first lady tour parts of Florida, Georgia devastated by Hurricane Michael

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are touring parts of Florida and Georgia that have been devastated by Hurricane Michael, as hundreds of thousands of residents remain without electricity and a long, slow recovery effort is underway.

The president and first lady arrived at Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, Florida, on Monday morning. They were greeted by Gov. Rick Scott, FEMA Administrator William "Brock" Long, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and other officials.

"Rick Scott, your governor, has done an incredible job, and all of your people have been amazing - working with FEMA, working with the first responders, and always law enforcement," Trump said before boarding a helicopter to survey the storm-damaged areas. He noted that the storm was so strong that some residents' homes had been entirely swept away.

"Some of them have no trace of a home. You wouldn't even know it," Trump said, adding that the government's priority was to provide food, power and safety to those affected.

Scott thanked Trump, who he said had "come through and done exactly what he said he was going to do."

The White House did not provide details on the areas that Trump and the first lady are expected to tour.

Hurricane Michael made landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 storm, tearing through parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The storm has killed at least 18 people, a number that officials say is likely to rise as emergency crews work to reach some of the hardest-hit areas.

Scott noted Sunday as he toured the area for a third day with Long that "one of the most frustrating problems is telecommunications."

Since Thursday, 17,000 utility workers have arrived to rebuild and repair the crippled infrastructure, and 2,000 cellphone company workers and 18,000 search-and-rescue personnel have arrived in the region, joining 4,000 Florida National Guard troops and multitudes of police and firefighters.