Misinformation Surrounding Hurricane Milton Relief Efforts

By Hardik Vyas and Esther Chan

As Hurricane Milton approached Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday, misinformation about relief efforts and conspiracy theories about weather manipulation emerged online.

More than 1 million people were ordered to evacuate in Florida’s Gulf Coast, a region still recovering from Hurricane Helene, which affected the U.S. Southeast at the end of September.

Key Misinformation Narratives

Claim: Hurricanes are a product of "weather control"

What We Know: Several online posts, including one from Republican U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, suggested that weather control influenced hurricanes. Greene stated on X on Oct. 3 that it's possible to control the weather. Experts in hurricane meteorology informed Reuters that hurricane modification has never been viable due to the storms' immense size and power.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) experimented with cloud seeding from the 1960s to the 1980s, trying to lessen hurricane winds but concluded it was ineffective. Greene’s office did not respond for comment.

Claim: FEMA’s $750 emergency aid is a loan

What We Know: An online post with over 5 million views falsely claimed that FEMA offered Helene victims a loan of $750 instead of an upfront payment. FEMA spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg clarified on X that these claims are untrue and that the agency does not require repayment for emergency aid. FEMA described the $750 aid as an “upfront, flexible payment” for essential supplies, with further assistance evaluated based on eligibility.

Claim: HAARP program used to manipulate weather and cause hurricanes

What We Know: HAARP (High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program), managed by the U.S. military from 1990-2014, studies the upper atmosphere. Conspiracy theories link HAARP to weather manipulation and natural disasters. A HAARP spokesperson stated that the program cannot create or manipulate hurricanes. NOAA director Howard Diamond asserted that no current technology can influence hurricanes in any manner.

Claim: President Joe Biden urges citizens to "get vaccinated now" in a pre-hurricane message

What We Know: A clip on X suggested Biden's message was to get vaccinated before the hurricane. Context revealed that in a 2021 briefing, he emphasized vaccination against COVID-19 to protect those evacuating during hurricanes. Biden noted that prevention of severe illness from COVID-19 was crucial in emergency situations.

Claim: Not a single tweet by Vice President Kamala Harris about Hurricane Helene

What We Know: Following Hurricane Helene's impact, a far-right account on X falsely claimed that Harris had not posted about the storm. This tweet received over 400,000 views. However, Harris had tweeted a day earlier about collaborating with Biden and local leaders to support affected areas.