As Hurricane Helene barreled toward the Gulf Coast, misinformation about the storm’s path and intensity spread rapidly across social media. Meteorologists and emergency officials worked to combat the false claims, urging the public to rely on authoritative sources for updates. One viral video claimed to show Helene’s powerful winds, but it was actually footage from a different storm years earlier. Another false rumor suggested the hurricane would make landfall much farther east than forecasted, potentially catching some communities off guard. Experts emphasized the importance of verifying information during emergencies and warned that misinformation could put lives at risk by causing confusion about evacuation orders and safety precautions. While Hurricane Helene ultimately caused significant damage, the spread of misinformation compounded the challenges faced by those in its path.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/04/politics/misinformation-hurricane-helene/index.html