Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in the United States, there has been a boom in false claims and conspiracy theories on social media questioning the use of relief funds and weather manipulation.
Officials at the local and federal levels are making a concerted effort to refute these allegations, including those spread by Republican front-runner Donald Trump.
One of the most outlandish rumors suggests that Hurricane Helene was an engineered storm designed to facilitate corporate mining of lithium deposits in the region.
Additional allegations claim that President Joe Biden's administration is misappropriating federal disaster funds to assist undocumented migrants.
Conspiracy theories even go so far as to claim that officials are consciously leaving dead behind while they clean up.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congress member, supported these assertions by saying on X, "Yes, they can control the weather. Anyone who lies and claims it can't be done is absurd."
The proliferation of these conspiracies coincides with a crucial moment for the storm's aftermath rescue and recovery operations; the storm was one of the worst storms to strike the United States this century.
Political emotions are rising with less than a month till Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris face off in the presidential election.
Both Republican and Democratic leaders express concern that these rumors are complicating relief efforts.
Kevin Corbin, a Republican in the North Carolina Senate, reported receiving numerous calls from constituents questioning the government's response to the storm. He remarked, "98% chance it's not true and if it is a problem, somebody is aware and on it."
Corbin expressed his frustration, stating, "I'm growing a bit weary of intentional distractions."
White House officials have accused some Republican leaders and conservative media of intentionally spreading misinformation to sow division among Americans, potentially harming disaster relief efforts.
A White House memo asserted, "Disinformation of this kind can discourage people from seeking critical assistance when they need it most."
The memo stressed that every leader, regardless of political affiliation, should cease spreading "this poison."
The memo also refuted Trump's claims from a recent rally that Biden and Harris used federal emergency funds for undocumented migrants, declaring, "This is FALSE."
The memo emphasized, "No disaster relief funding at all was used to support migrants housing and services. None. At. All."
In response to requests for comment, the Trump campaign reiterated accusations that FEMA funds had been allocated for housing migrants in the U.S. illegally.
After Hurricane Helene, the responsibility of overseeing funding for both immediate response and recovery activities fell to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The White House document made clear that FEMA had given storm victims millions of dollars in aid.
Since so many false accusations have been made against it, FEMA has responded to rumors with a page on its website.
A week ago, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, killing over 200 people and leaving other Southeastern U.S. states severely damaged.
To combat misinformation on social media, certain officials are taking matters into their own hands. One of FEMA's instructional TikTok posts that received thousands of views was an explanation of the agency's disaster response procedures by Katie Keaotamai.
Disaster situations are frequently politicized, according to Kate Starbird, co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, and social media amplifies "sensationalism and outrage with attention."
She continued by saying that the dissemination of false information and conspiracy theories makes disaster response and recovery more difficult while also impeding well-informed decision-making for future preparedness.
It is difficult for authorities and communities to successfully manage recovery and reconstruction activities when catastrophic events are politicized.
Misinformation and political hyperbole together pose a threat to vital disaster response efforts as Hurricane Helene's aftermath is still developing.
