Misinformation swirls around hurricane response effort

In the week since Hurricane Helene caused devastation successful parts of the US - successful the mediate of the predetermination run - misinformation astir the government’s effect has been spreading connected societal media.

Many of the hurricane victims are successful plaything states, including North Carolina and Georgia, and Republican Donald Trump has been highly captious of however the Biden-Harris medication has handled the disaster.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has disputed a fig of his claims and Vice-President Kamala Harris has called his comments "extraordinarily irresponsible".

As Fema prepares for Hurricane Milton, it has described misinformation astir its efforts arsenic "extremely damaging" and believes this has discouraged immoderate survivors from seeking help.

BBC Verify has been looking astatine the claims made by Trump and different elder Republicans.

At aggregate run events since the hurricane struck, Trump and his allies person claimed that authorities wealth earmarked for catastrophe victims has been spent connected migrants who crossed illegally into the US.

“Kamala spent each her Fema money—billions of dollars—on lodging for amerciable migrants", Trump said successful Michigan past week.

Trump's assertion that Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, has spent “all her Fema money” connected lodging these radical is false.

Fema, a US authorities agency, has a Disaster Relief Fund (worth much than $20bn for the past fiscal year) which is ring-fenced to walk connected responding to hurricanes and different earthy disasters.

Fema besides has a dedicated fund from Congress to beryllium spent connected food, shelter, transportation, and different enactment services for immigrants released from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody.

This fund amounts to astir 1 cardinal dollars implicit the past 2 fiscal years - not the “billions” Trump claims.

So, these are 2 abstracted pots of wealth - administered by the bureau - which Trump appears to beryllium conflating.

Fema, which has present acceptable up a fact-checking page connected its website, called Trump's assertion "false" saying, "no wealth is being diverted from catastrophe effect needs".

In 2019, portion Trump was President, wealth was diverted from Fema's Disaster Relief Fund - astir $38m - to springiness to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The absorption connected Fema's existent backing comes aft the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas - who oversees the bureau - warned that it was moving debased connected funds for the remainder of the hurricane season.

But Fema says it has “enough wealth close present for contiguous effect and betterment needs”.

Donald Trump and JD Vance person repeatedly highlighted a $750 outgo from Fema to hurricane victims, often contrasting it with the wealth the US authorities spends connected Ukraine oregon connected amerciable migrants.

“They promised $750 to American citizens who person mislaid everything,” Vance said astatine a rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania connected Saturday.

It is existent that the victims are getting $750 but immoderate discourse is needed.

This is conscionable 1 benignant of assistance provided by Fema.

The $750 is what radical tin get arsenic an upfront payment to assistance screen the costs of food, water, medication, and different exigency supplies.

Following this archetypal payment, catastrophe victims whitethorn person further funds pursuing a Fema assessment.

This tin spell towards repairing harm to homes and idiosyncratic property, and to assistance find a impermanent spot to stay.

So far, Fema has said that much than $210m has been fixed to communities affected by Hurricane Helene - this includes upfront payments and wealth to enactment lodging needs.

When the hurricane archetypal hit, Trump claimed that the politician of Georgia hadn’t spoken to President Biden pursuing the authorities being severely affected.

“He has been calling the president, hasn't been capable to get him,” Trump said astatine a quality league successful Georgia connected the day of 30 September.

But earlier that day, Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp - a Republican - said successful an interview: “The president conscionable called maine yesterday afternoon, I missed him and called him close back, and helium conscionable said ‘hey what bash you need?’ and I told him we’ve got what we need, we’re moving done the national process.”

“He offered if there’s different things we request to telephone him directly, which I appreciate,” helium added.

Trump said astatine the Butler rally that “Kamala wined and dined successful San Francisco, and each of the radical successful North Carolina — nary helicopters, nary rescue — it’s conscionable — what’s happened determination is precise bad.”

This is false. By the clip Trump made this remark connected 5 October, the North Carolina National Guard, which is nether the dual bid of national and authorities governments, had already posted connected X that its “air assets person completed 146 formation missions, resulting successful the rescue of 538 radical and 150 pets”.

The post, published connected 3 October, featured a video of a National Guard helicopter.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety's website says that President Biden approved the authorities governor’s petition for subject unit and instrumentality to enactment rescue operations successful North Carolina.

The National Guard and subject unit “are operating 50 helicopters” arsenic portion of hunt and rescue missions, and are besides helping to present captious supplies successful the state, the Department said.