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Misinformation has surged following Hurricane Helene. Here’s a fact check.
As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene continue across the southeastern U.S., federal and state officials have warned that misinformation and conspiracy theories are hindering efforts to provide aid and accurate information to victims.
The American Red Cross said misinformation is hurting relief efforts, while Deanne Criswell, who leads the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the false claims are “demoralizing” to aid workers. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told Face the Nation on Sunday that the claims distract from rescue work.
On Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called out “scam artists and bad faith actors and others who are putting politics over people are promoting misinformation about our efforts, including falsehoods about federal assistance.”
Misinformation often surges following major weather disasters, but with Hurricane Helene hitting several battleground states just weeks before a tightly contested election, the spread of false claims has accelerated.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump doubled down on his misleading statements about federal disaster relief on Monday, falsely alleging that the Biden administration has allocated “almost all of the FEMA money to illegal migrants.” At a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, Trump falsely suggested that storm victims were only being offered $750 in aid.
Here are four fact-checks on the main claims about Helene recovery efforts.
1. Claim: Federal aid is being diverted to support immigrants
A widely-circulated claim falsely asserts that FEMA has run out of money because it diverted disaster relief funds to support undocumented immigrants. Trump amplified this claim at a Michigan rally on Thursday, saying, “Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants” and asserting that the Biden-Harris administration “stole the FEMA money” to give it to undocumented immigrants.
These claims are false
FEMA has said it has funds for “immediate response and recovery efforts” from Hurricane Helene but it may face a funding shortfall as more storms emerge this season. The agency has said that no money is being diverted from disaster response needs.
Critics of the Biden-Harris administration have pointed to one FEMA initiative, the Shelter and Services Program, which gives grants to groups to provide shelter and other services to migrants. Its funding for the 2024 fiscal year, which was approved by Congress, was $650 million, a small fraction of FEMA’s budget.
FEMA receives funding from Congress for specific functions, including disaster relief. The shelter program and the disaster relief fund have two distinct sources of funding, both of which have been approved by Congress.
As CBS previously reported, the last time funds allocated for disaster relief were used for immigration purposes was in 2019 during the Trump administration, when the Department of Homeland Security told Congress it planned to use $271 million allocated for disaster aid efforts and other initiatives to expand space in migrant detention centers and bolster a program that requires asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were processed in the U.S.
2. Claim: Storm victims will receive only $750
At a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, Trump suggested that those who lost their homes in the hurricane were only being offered $750 in federal aid, echoing a claim that has widely circulated on social media. “They’re offering them $750, to people whose homes have been washed away. And yet we send tens of billions of dollars to foreign countries that most people have never heard of.” Trump said.
This claim is misleading
The $750 referenced is part of FEMA’s “Serious Needs Assistance” program, which is designed to provide immediate relief for essential supplies like food, water and medication. The program is one part of a larger package of aid available to those affected by the storm.
FEMA has said federal assistance for survivors has surpassed $210 million. President Biden previously announced that the federal government would cover “100%” of costs for debris removal and emergency protective measures in North Carolina for six months.
FEMA also debunked online claims that the $750 was a loan and that failure to repay it would result in people’s property being seized. “This is not true. We do not ask for this money back,” said FEMA spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg.
3. Claim: volunteers and donations are being blocked
Dozens of social media posts have suggested that state and federal officials are blocking volunteers from entering hard-hit areas, including western North Carolina, and confiscating donations intended for storm victims.
These claims are misleading
Officials say the claims mischaracterize efforts to coordinate disaster relief and keep people safe. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety urged volunteers to coordinate through official channels, as many roads remain dangerous due to landslides, and encouraged financial donations to vetted volunteer organizations. They said donations are not being confiscated.
FEMA also refuted claims that it was turning away donations and blocking roads, saying voluntary agencies handle all physical donations and local law enforcement oversees road closures.
FEMA also said the FAA “is not restricting access for recovery operations.” It followed a post by X owner Elon Musk that alleged FEMA was blocking the delivery of aid. The FAA said in a statement that it is trying to maintain safety as skies have become busy during recovery efforts.
4. Claim: Government is withholding aid to Republican areas
Trump floated a claim early in the recovery efforts that aid was not reaching Republican areas in North Carolina, posting on Monday on Truth Social: “I’ll be there shortly, but don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas.”
This claim lacks evidence
FEMA has strongly refuted this claim on its site, saying it “provides assistance to survivors regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.”
Western North Carolina has become a focus of misinformation, including claims that aid efforts are being blocked. The area is represented by a Republican in Congress, but Asheville is represented by a Democrat in the state Assembly.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Sunday criticized those spreading “false information,” linking to several articles that quoted Trump’s statements about recovery efforts.
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The northern lights made an incredible display over much of the United States on Thursday — and might make a return appearance Friday night.
The aurora borealis was visible as far south as Florida on Thursday. Photos show the sky lit up in red and purple, even in some brightly-lit areas like New York City and Chicago.
The strong geomagnetic storm that created such a show has subsided, according the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but some parts of the U.S. may again see the northern lights tonight. Here’s what to know.
Roy Rochlin / Getty Images
Where will the northern lights be visible tonight?
The northern lights will be visible for parts of the northern U.S., according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center’s aurora forecast. The aurora will be visible over much of Canada and Alaska, but the northern lights can also be seen from as far as 620 miles away if the conditions are right, NOAA says.
Parts of Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin may be able to see the lights Friday night. On the East Coast, the aurora might be visible in northern New York and parts of Vermont and New Hampshire. Areas of Maine may also see the northern lights.
The lights will appear to the north when it’s dark outside. If you can’t see them with the naked eye, they may be visible through a phone camera or other device.
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
What time will the northern lights be most visible?
The northern lights are most visible just after sunset or just before sunrise, NOAA said. The aurora is not visible during the day. Dark, cloudless skies with little artificial light provide the best viewing experience.
Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Why have the northern lights been so visible lately?
Over the last several months the sun has been incredibly active, unleashing a series of coronal mass ejections from its surface, CBS Boston reported. That’s resulted in multiple visible aurora shows.
The geomagnetic storm responsible for Thursday’s stunning skies is now subsiding, CBS Boston reported. That means there will be less chance of seeing the aurora on Friday, but there may be more opportunities in the future.
Shawn Dahl, a forecast coordinator with the Space Weather Prediction Center, told CBS Boston that the northern lights have been so intense lately because of where the sun is in its 11-year solar cycle. Dahl said that “we are in the midst of solar maximum.”
Heather Kepple
“What that means is the sun is now this twisted-up mass of strong magnetic fields, and some of these are so localized and intense they reveal themselves as these sunspot groups,” Dahl said. “That’s the source of a bunch of the space weather storms that we’re looking for and predict.”
What causes the northern lights?
The northern lights are caused by interactions between the sun’s solar winds and the Earth’s protective magnetic field, according to NOAA. Those two phenomenons result in geomagnetic storms and increased geomagnetic activity.
The higher the geomagnetic activity is, the better your odds are of seeing the aurora. Increased geomagnetic activity means the aurora will become brighter, more active and visible farther from the poles of the planet, NOAA said.
Even moderate solar wind creates the aurora, NOAA said, so there is usually a weak aurora visible from somewhere on Earth. The best places to see these weaker auroras is close to the planet’s poles, like in Greenland or southern Argentina. If you see the aurora near the North Pole, it’s nicknamed the northern lights. The same phenomenon near the South Pole is called the southern lights.
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After years of stubbornly high rates, the wider interest rate environment is shifting. The Fed issued a 50-basis-point cut to the benchmark rate in late September, which led rates on everything from mortgages to home equity loans to drop in tandem, alleviating some of the heavy burden that’s been weighing on borrowers recently. But while the climate of dropping rates may benefit borrowers, it isn’t nearly as beneficial for savers, as rates on deposit accounts typically fall alongside rates on loans and other borrowing products.
That said, there is still a great opportunity for savers to maximize their returns right now by putting some of their savings into a high-yield savings account. Even in today’s shifting rate landscape, many high-yield accounts continue to offer higher-than-average rates, and unlike certificate of deposit accounts (CDs), which generally require you to keep your money locked away until maturity, a high-yield savings account offers the opportunity to earn a great rate and maintain easy access to your funds.
While the rates on high-yield savings accounts are variable, meaning that they can change over time, many currently offer annual percentage yields (APYs) comparable to or even exceeding those of CDs, without you having to sacrifice liquidity. So for those seeking a balance between competitive rates and financial flexibility, exploring these high-yield savings options could be a smart move in today’s market.
See how much more you could earn with one of the best high-yield savings accounts now.
14 best high-yield savings accounts to open this October
The following high-yield savings accounts could be a good bet if you want to maximize the returns on your money this October:
- Pibank — 5.50%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- TIMBR — 5.25%: There is a $1,000 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- BrioDirect — 5.15%: There is a $5,000 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a $25 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- CloudBank 24/7 — 5.15%: There is a $1 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a$1 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- RBMAX — 5.15%: There is a $10 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Elevault — 5.13%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Bask Bank — 5.10%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- EverBank — 5.05%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Jenius Bank — 5.05%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Flagstar Bank — 5.00%: There is a $1 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a $25,000 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account charges a $15 monthly service charge (which is waived with a $10,000 average balance)
- Ivy Bank — 5.00%: There is a $2,500 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a $2,500 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Laurel Road — 5.00%: There is no minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a $5,000 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- Bread Savings — 4.95%: There is a $100 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is a $100 minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
- First Foundation Bank — 4.90%: There is a $1,000 minimum deposit requirement to open this account; there is no minimum balance required to earn the stated APY; this account does not charge a monthly service charge
Explore the top savings rates available to you here.
The bottom line
In today’s changing rate environment, high-yield savings accounts remain a standout option for savvy savers who want to earn a high APY on their money while maintaining access to the funds in their accounts. These accounts provide significantly higher APYs compared to traditional savings accounts, with some reaching up to 5.5% currently. This makes them an attractive choice for emergency funds and short-term savings goals. By choosing the right high-yield savings account, savers can potentially earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars more in interest compared to traditional savings options.