Bad actors coming in behind hurricanes in North Carolina is nothing new. This time, the White House felt the need to respond.
It comes just days after Rutherford County could take the rumors no more about beloved Chimney Rock, the community gutted by raging flood water. Hurricane Helene, with 227 confirmed dead late Saturday, is the nation’s fourth deadliest storm in the last three-quarters of a century.
Attributed to senior advisor to President Joe Biden and Communications Director Ben LaBolt, and Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom, a release from Washington read in part, “Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene.
“A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately.”
Named specifically in the release was “disaster relief funds were used on immigrants in the U.S. illegally.” The White House said funding for disaster response is through the Disaster Relief Fund, and its money “has not been diverted to other, nondisaster related efforts.”
The claim arose because, en route to the Carolinas on Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a press gaggle, “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season and what – what is imminent.” The quote is from a White House transcript and was paired with an April release from FEMA on money for migrants.
The Saturday release also debunked a claim FEMA would confiscate Helene survivor property; only provide $750 to survivors; and FEMA and the Federal Aviation Authority restrictions on air space.
Like the migrants claim, context is lost in each. FEMA, known by North Carolinians surviving hurricanes for brutal red tape, is making the $750 available in a more expedited manner. There’s more assistance already available, $110 million the release said, “with more to come.”
FEMA-approved assistance in Buncombe County alone is $12 million; in North Carolina it already exceeds $27 million, said MaryAnn Tierney, a regional administrator for the agency. The county has population of about 275,000 and the state is about 10.8 million.
Later Saturday, a federal award of $100 million was announced for repairs to Interstate 40 in North Carolina. Four miles from the Tennessee border, two eastbound lanes fell into the Pigeon River.
As for air space, there are no restrictions because of Hurricane Helene, the storm which came ashore in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph and pummeled the Appalachian Mountains with rain. The release said pilots going to Asheville or Rutherford airports should contact the airport for permission to land, and the FAA “is working with local authorities to ensure rescue efforts happen safely.”
Rutherford County Emergency Management on Saturday said in a release, “Marchman Field maintains steady operations to support relief efforts.” And, it said, “Despite at times congested ramp space, the airport has accommodated larger aircraft to ensure uninterrupted supply drops.”
On Thursday, the agency put out a release to debunk claims about Chimney Rock.
It said in part, “There was no ‘special meeting’ held in Chimney Rock on October 2nd involving discussions of the federal, state, or local governments seizing the town. These claims are entirely false.”
Instead, what happened was, “Town of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock officials met with NC Speaker of the House Tim Moore, NC Senator Tim Moffitt, NC Representative Jake Johnson, Sheriff Ellenburg, County Commissioner Chairman Bryan King, Emergency Management Director Frankie Hamrick, Brett Keeter with Congressman McHenry’s office, and other officials to offer our federal and state legislators an opportunity to hear directly from the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Village officials as to the impact to their towns caused by Hurricane Helene and to request their support and advocacy for federal and state support.”
Eight hurricanes since 1950 have killed 100 or more people. Helene is only eclipsed – so far – by Katrina (2005, deaths 1,392), Audrey (1957, deaths 416) and Camille (1969, deaths 256). On Friday the toll eclipsed Sandy (2012, deaths 219), and on Thursday it went past Diane (1955, deaths 184).
