Debunking Hurricane Helene Myths and Rumors

GRANITE FALLS, NC (October 9, 2024) ⇒ It is and will always be our intention to provide you with accurate, factual, and truthful content. Below are responses by Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC11), Senator Thom Tillis (NC), and FEMA to the Hurricane Helene myths and rumors that are being spread on social media.

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October 8, 2024

From the Office of Congressman Chuck Edwards – NC11

Dear Friend,

Over the past 10 days, I have been proud of how our mountain communities have come together to help one another. We have seen a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide; but amidst all of the support, we have also seen an uptick in untrustworthy sources trying to spark chaos by sharing hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and hearsay about hurricane response efforts across our mountains.

While it is true, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to Hurricane Helene has had its shortfalls, I’m here to dispel the outrageous rumors that have been circulated online:

1. Hurricane Helene was NOT geoengineered by the government to seize and access lithium deposits in Chimney Rock.
   1. Nobody can control the weather.
   2. Charles Konrad, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Regional Climate Center, has confirmed that no one has the technology or ability to geoengineer a hurricane.
      1. Current geoengineering technology can serve as a large-scale intervention to mitigate the negative consequences of naturally occurring weather phenomena, but it cannot be used to create or manipulate hurricanes.
   3. Local officials have confirmed the government is NOT seizing Chimney Rock.
      1. There was no “special meeting” held in Chimney Rock between federal, state or local governments about seizing the town.
2. Local officials are NOT abandoning search and rescue efforts to bulldoze over Chimney Rock.
   1. Chimney Rock is NOT being bulldozed over.
   2. Rutherford County emergency services personnel are going to extensive lengths to search for missing people, including in debris by using cadaver dogs to locate any remains of individuals trapped in the debris.
   3. Just as every other community in Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock officials are focused first and foremost on recovery efforts, followed by plans to rebuild in the future.
3. FEMA is NOT stopping trucks or vehicles with donations, confiscating or seizing supplies, or otherwise turning away donations.
   1. FEMA does not conduct vehicle stops or handle road closures with armed guards – all road closures are managed by local law enforcement who are prioritizing getting resources to their fellow community members.
4. FEMA has NOT diverted disaster response funding to the border or foreign aid.
   1. Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts.
      1. FEMA’s non-disaster related presence at the border has always been of major concern to me, even before Hurricane Helene, and I will continue to condemn their deployment of personnel to the southern border, but we must separate the two issues.
5. FEMA is NOT going to run out of money.
   1. FEMA officials have repeatedly affirmed that the agency has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs over the next few months.
      1. Secretary Mayorkas’ statement indicating otherwise was an irresponsible attempt to politicize a tragedy for personal gain.
   2. In the coming months, Western North Carolina is going to need more disaster relief funding than is currently available to assist with recovery efforts.
      1. I’m confident that supplemental disaster relief funding, which I am already involved in the process of creating, will be considered in the House once we return to session in mid-November.
6. FEMA cannot seize your property or land.
   1. Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land.
7. The FAA is NOT restricting access to airspace for Helene rescue and recovery operations.
   1. Nobody seeking to fly resources into Western North Carolina will be prohibited from doing so by the FAA or North Carolina Emergency Management so long as they coordinate their efforts with NC Aviation.
      1. If you are looking to conduct an airdrop of resources but don’t know who to contact for approval, please reach out to my office and we will share that information with you.
8. FEMA is NOT only providing $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.
   1. The initial $750 provided to disaster survivors is an immediate type of assistance called Serious Needs Assistance that may be made to individuals in need as soon as they apply for FEMA assistance.
      1. The $750 is an upfront, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula and medication while FEMA assesses the applicant’s eligibility for additional funds.
      2. This award is just the first step of a longer process to provide financial assistance to disaster survivors in need of federal support.
   2. As an application moves through the review process, individuals are eligible to receive additional forms of assistance for other needs such as temporary housing, personal property and home repair costs, etc.

I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact. Please make sure you are fact checking what you read online with a reputable source.

With my warmest regards,

Chuck Edwards
Member of Congress

https://edwards.house.gov/media/press-releases/debunking-helene-response-myths

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From The News and Observer of Raleigh, NC

Emergency officials responding to the Hurricane Helene disaster in Western North Carolina say false rumors on social media are impeding their efforts to help tens of thousands of people in need.

“False information is being widely shared on social media channels, including AI-generated content and images,” N.C. Department of Public Safety officials said in a statement. ”Nefarious actors and those with ill intent may be taking advantage of this situation by spreading false information.”

The public should find and share information from trusted sources and discourage others from spreading information from unverified sources, NCDPS officials said.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293523249.html

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Senator Tillis on the spread of misinformation during recovery efforts:

“I’ve been involved in a number of storm responses and this is when I believe discipline is absolutely essential…Many of the observations are not even from people on the ground. I believe that we have to stay focused on rescue operations, recovery operations, clearing operations, and we don’t need any of these distractions on the ground. It is at the expense of the hard-working first responders and people that are just trying to recover their lives…If there are any challenges, call my office and we’ll track them down if there are real issues, but most of what I’ve seen is a distraction and not helping the core of the effort right here which is to save lives and start rebuilding.” Click here for video.

https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2024/10/tillis-discusses-helene-recovery-efforts-on-face-the-nation

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Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response by FEMA

Help keep yourself, your family and your community safe after Hurricane Helene by being aware of rumors and scams and sharing official information from trusted sources.

Do your part to the stop the spread of rumors by doing three easy things:

   1. Find trusted sources of information.

   2. Share information from trusted sources.

   3. Discourage others from sharing information from unverified sources.
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