Hurricane Helene

Did the sky over Florida turning purple around the time of Hurricane Milton's landfall prove that HAARP manufactured the natural disaster? No, that's not true: The university responsible for HAARP has rejected such claims before. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Lead Stories that "no technology" can "create, destroy, modify, intensify or steer hurricanes in any way, shape or…

Does a viral video montage show actual tornados and damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida in October 2024? No, that's not true: The montage is a compilation of older, unrelated clips. Some of them show signs of digital manipulation. The claim that the video depicted authentic scenes from Hurricane Milton appeared in a post (archived here) on Facebook on October…

Was a C-17 aircraft loaded with supplies for Hurricane Helene victims but never delivered just to give Vice President Kamala Harris a photo opportunity? No, that's not true: The plane Harris took photos with had maintenance issues and didn't take off, according to the North Carolina National Guard. The supplies were flown to Asheville, North Carolina, on a different plane…

Did a scene from an episode of "The Simpsons" predict Hurricane Milton by showing that name on-screen during a Kent Brockman news broadcast segment? No, that's not true: A clip from the episode was altered to add the words "Hurricane Milton," a storm that made landfall in October 2024. The actual episode featured a storm named Hurricane Barbara. The claim…

Did Mission Hospital in North Carolina contain 900 unidentified bodies of Hurricane Helene victims and was the hospital turned into a morgue amid the disaster? No, that's not true: "Mission Hospital is not serving as the local community morgue," a hospital spokesperson told Lead Stories. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services told Lead Stories they had "no…

Does a video clip show a speaker saying, "We should focus our efforts on LGBTQIA people" during a disaster preparedness meeting by the Federal Emergency Management Agency? No, that's not true: This was a 2023 panel event, not a "disaster preparedness meeting." According to transcripts the statement about LGBTQIA focus didn't come up in the clip or in the longer…

Does a video shared on Facebook genuinely show underwater HAARP devices surrounding Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall? No, that's not true: The video shows a coral restoration project in the Florida Keys, two marine scientists told Lead Stories. The antenna-like objects seen in the video are part of that coral reef rehabilitation project. A version of the claim…

Does a video show "twin tornadoes" hitting Miami at the same time Hurricane Milton did? No, that's not true: This video footage was taken in August 2024, not October 2024 when Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida. Also, the columns seen in the video are waterspouts, not tornadoes, according to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. Finally, this video was…

Does a compilation of storm video clips on social media show Hurricane Milton? No, that's not true: A collection of video clips using the hashtag #HurricanMilton shows storm footage from around the world that dates back months and even years. The clickbait compilation was posted on social media on October 8, 2024, when Hurricane Milton was over 400 miles from…

Did "NC State police" issue a statement saying that they will start arresting any federal employees trying to "stop or hinder rescue operations"? No, that's not true: A public information officer for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol denounced the claim, calling it "made-up" and "completely unfactual." Lead Stories did not find any evidence of such a statement on the…