Vice President Kamala Harris postpones Monday trip to Detroit amid flooding

Melissa Nann Burke
The Detroit News

Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris is postponing her visit Monday to Detroit, the White House said Sunday. 

Harris was to travel to Michigan this week as part of her national tour to urge more Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. It would have been her first trip to the state since Election Day. 

The tour is part of the White House’s “month of action,” announced by President Joe Biden earlier this month urging more Americans to get their shots before the July 4 holiday. 

Detroit and Monroe County are among the areas of the state to report the lowest percentage of people to be vaccinated with all doses required against COVID-19, according to the Michigan Health & Hospital Association and state government modeling.

The White House did not say why Harris' trip was postponed, but the delay comes as Metro Detroit experienced major flooding over the weekend after more than 7inches of rain fell Friday night into Saturday in parts of Metro Detroit.

Vice President Kamala Harris talks to the media, Friday after her tour of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center in El Paso, Texas.

The rainfall overwhelmed the city of Detroit's water and sewage operations, cutting at least 28 of the area's freeway pump stations. Water closed freeways and roads, and flooded homes and businesses, leaving thousands without power. 

More: Flooding keeps I-94 closed; thunderstorms continue Sunday in SE Michigan

Interstate 94 in Dearborn and Detroit remained closed Sunday, but the region braced for more rain and storms in the coming week.

mburke@detroitnews.com

The Detroit News Staff Writer Breana Noble contributed.