continuously Hurricane HelenThere are false rumors about the federal response Spreads rapidly On social media. Radical conspiracy theories have also taken root, including claims that politicians manipulated the weather to target Republican precincts and that the government is trying to seize land in North Carolina for lithium mining.
False claims have been propagated by high-profile politicians and social media influencers with large followings. Despite receiving millions of views online, the claims have been dismissed by officials and experts, who insist that the government’s response is focused on recovery efforts in hard-hit areas. Here are a couple of fact checks about the main claims.
False Statement: The government is seizing land in a North Carolina town to allow lithium mining
False claims circulated on social media that officials were trying to seize Chimney Rock in North Carolina to spearhead lithium mining. X, TikTok And Facebook.
Some Rumors Cite a “town meeting” where officials allegedly said the government would own the land by bulldozing Chimney Rock. One Post on X They spread the false claim and got more than 6 million views.
Rutherford County Emergency Management He said Claims about the government’s capture of Chimney Rock were “absolutely false”, and no “special meeting” was held to discuss the city’s capture. Rutherford County Emergency Management clarified that North Carolina lawmakers met with local officials to request federal and state support.
Some social media users spreading the claim mentioned the North Carolina town of Kings Mountain, where a The lithium mine is expected to reopen. Others refer to specific companies such as Piedmont Lithium Aims to build A lithium mine in Gaston County, North Carolina.
These proposed lithium mines are located 80 to 100 miles from Chimney Rock.
Local authorities are actively involved in repairing damaged infrastructure in the city. There is chimney rock Published Online updates on its recovery efforts, including rebuilding Main Street, restoring power and removing debris.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said in its new report “Rumour Answer” The agency cannot seize a resident’s property or land.
False Statement: The government controlled the weather so that Helen would hit Republican areas
The false claim that the government manipulated the weather to manipulate Helen’s path to hit majority-Republican areas has garnered millions of views on social media.
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Green Published in X Saying: “Yes they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say they can’t do it.” The post, which had over 40 million views at the time of writing, was also deleted via social media on X.
Green too Published An overlay showing what he described as a map of areas affected by Helen — including Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas — is where the majority of Republican voters live.
Even conspiracy theorist Alex Jones Amplified the claim“Federal government could have killed hurricane in Gulf of Mexico,” it says. As both Green and Jones pointed out Cloud seeding Evidence that the government controlled Hurricane Helen.
Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification that improves a cloud’s ability to produce rain or snow, according to the Nevada-based Desert Research Institute. Cloud seeding program. Cloud seeding has been around ever since 1940sAnd Dozens of countries There are climate change programs.
Cyclone modification by cloud seeding was investigated between 1962 and 1983, but the project ended when seeding was found to be ineffective compared to the natural forces of the cyclone. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Plots around cloud seeding usually appear after major weather events, including floods Dubai and storms California. Asked if cloud seeding played a role in the Dubai floods, a meteorologist said Associated Press“When it comes to controlling individual rain storms, we’re nowhere near that.”
Federal and state officials have said disinformation and conspiracy theories are hampering efforts to provide aid and accurate information to victims.
Dean Criswell, who leads FEMA, He said False claims “discourage” workers to help. Sen. Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, said “Face the nation“Sunday claims are diverted from rescue work.
