Misinformation taints the recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene was one of the most devastating natural disasters in the Southwest. It destroyed entire communities, businesses, homes, and lives.

According to AP News, the storm killed at least 230 people. Around 130,000 still had no power a week after the hurricane hit North Carolina.

The state and federal response to bring relief to the victims included thousands of people, millions of meals, and dozens of aircraft. According to AP, North Carolina officials said it was the largest in the state's history.

Still, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's statement to the news agency, many of their volunteers and staff have also been fighting misinformation regarding the response.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told the AP that the false narratives demoralize the staff and volunteers on the ground and take valuable time they could use for other tasks.

The New York Times said many conspiracy theories and misinformation around Helene are sometimes fueled by politicians and even foreign influence operatives.

AP News gathered some of the most widely spread lies and conspiracy theories tainting the recovery efforts in North Carolina, including those spread by politicians and public figures.

One of the rumors that spread more is that Democratic officials (Federal and State) are denying aid to Republican communities. It was amplified by Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Elon Musk tweeted that the Federal Aviation Agency blocked private relief flights from landing in North Carolina. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had to dismiss his claims.

The Republican candidate for North Carolina governor also chipped in, posting that state officials had not prepared for the storm. He also contributed to Mr. Trump's false claims.

Mr. Trump also claimed FEMA did not have the budget because it had directed resources toward undocumented immigrants. That is false. FEMA does not provide assistance for that purpose.

Aside from those arguably lighter statements, which could fit inside the regular flow of polarized American politics, other claims have circulated online: far-fetched conspiracy theories.

According to AP News, one of the most damaging conspiracy theories claims the government is seeking to seize land from victims to mine lithium in a North Carolina community.

Another claimed that Washington officials used weather control technology to steer Helene toward Republican voters, guaranteeing a win for Kamala Harris in November.

It "is just disheartening," Bryan King, the chairman of the Rutherford County Commission, told The NY Times about the lithium conspiracy theory. It can dissuade people from applying for financial aid.

Samantha Montano, an emergency management expert at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, told the newspaper she had never seen this much disinformation around a disaster during her 20-year career.

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