Hurricane

Has a hurricane never before formed in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Milton's original location, then tracked eastward to Florida? No, that's not true: At least 10 recorded hurricanes including Milton have formed in the Gulf and moved eastward since the 19th century, according to the government's hurricane tracking records. Lead Stories found records of hurricanes following that pattern as…

Were 200 or as many as 2,000 people found stranded after Hurricane Helene in a church in Candler, North Carolina, after six days without food? No, that's not true: The communications and public engagement director for that county told Lead Stories, "This is unequivocally untrue." Churches in the area are acting as distribution points for emergency supplies. The meme that…

Did FEMA aircraft block a runway at the Greenville, South Carolina, airport on October 5, 2024, preventing civilian disaster aid from reaching Hurricane Helene victims and "stopping help"? No, that's not true: While an airport representative said a FEMA contractor did stage their operations on a secondary, "infrequently used" runway there, civilian assistance flights continued on the main runway. "FEMA…

Was the Army's 82nd Airborne Division not deployed to help Hurricane Helene victims as of October 3, 2024, as a post on Instagram Threads claimed? No, that's not true: President Joe Biden announced the immediate deployment of 1,000 active-duty troops on October 2, 2024, which included troops from the 82nd Airborne Division. It also included other units from Fort Liberty,…

Does a policy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency direct it to help "white people last" in 2024? No, that's not true: The document mentioning FEMA's "equity" goal cited on social media as proof says nothing about that. The agency has denied such accusations multiple times. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on Threads on October 4, 2024.…

Is the $750 in initial federal aid to Hurricane Helene victims a loan that must be paid back or people's property could be seized? No, that's not true: The $750, which comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Serious Needs Assistance program, is a grant, not a loan, and does not need to be repaid. Additionally, the agency's website states…

Does the closure of airspace in North Carolina for the visits of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris halt the Hurricane Helene rescue missions? No, that's not true: A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told Lead Stories that pilots involved in "aid and assistance" for hurricane recovery can fly through restricted areas if they plan the flight with air…

Did Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee refuse to ask President Joe Biden and the federal government for help after Hurricane Helene? No, that's not true: The governor requested an emergency declaration on September 27, 2024. It was approved the next day, which opened up federal aid. The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on X, formerly known as Twitter, on…

Did government agencies conspire to direct Hurricane Helene to cause damage in the town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina -- to depress the value of properties needed to open a $90 million lithium mine? No, that's not true: This conspiracy is flawed at its foundation -- an expert with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Lead Stories that "no…

Does federal disaster assistance to Helene victims amount to no more than $750 per family? No, that's not true: The White House stated that the $750 in Serious Needs Assistance is an immediate direct payment to eligible households for essential items like food, baby formula, water, medications and other emergency supplies. A FEMA spokesperson told Lead Stories, "that's not the…