The emotions elicited by extreme weather events often serve as the perfect breeding ground for conspiracy theories, prompting one Redditor to call for cooler heads to prevail.
"Hello everyone, just a reminder to please not believe everything you see online," they wrote on the r/Appalachia subreddit after Hurricane Helene swept through the Southeastern United States in September. "Spreading misinformation/disinformation is hampering relief efforts and could cost lives."
The original poster mentioned how their friends and family had sent them baseless claims of the federal government "rounding up" people in and around Asheville, North Carolina, and seizing private property in the state.
They also referenced how the individuals disseminating these lies had also warned others to refuse assistance from government officials and protect themselves from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees.
The latter issue became so widespread that the agency temporarily paused its relief efforts and debunked common myths on its website after continued harassment from the public. One man was even arrested for allegedly threatening to harm FEMA responders.
"I know this is a scary and stressful time in our Appalachian history, but we will get through this. Please take the time to not fear monger and hurt our friends trying to help us," the OP added.
Some of the other dangerous rhetoric that circulated was that Hurricanes Helene and Milton were purposefully manipulated to dissuade Republican voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election or to reduce the cost of land in a North Carolina county so that a company could purchase it for lithium mining.
Climate researchers and meteorologists had to dispel these notions, disproving theories that the government used cloud seeding or other geoengineering tactics for diabolical purposes. They instead pointed to anthropogenic activity as the primary suspect, with one flash study finding that human-driven pollution increased Hurricane Helene's rainfall by 10% and its wind intensity by 11%.
The comment section of the original post was a mix of disappointment, anger, and frustration with the proliferation of false and misleading statements.
🗣️ Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today?
🔘 Definitely 💯
🔘 Only for some people 😒
🔘 Only with certain issues 🤔
🔘 Not really 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"Everything is a conspiracy when you don't understand how anything works," one person said.
"Are people really gullible enough to believe that? It's bizarre what people will latch on to without any evidence of it actually happening," a second Redditor responded.
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