USA After hurricane: False reports cause concern for US government
After Hurricane Milton hit the US state of Florida, rescue and clean-up operations are underway. At the same time, the US government is warning of false reports circulating that are hindering the aid.
According to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, there are reports of at least ten deaths in connection with the storm in Florida.
"Milton" had made landfall late Wednesday night (local time) about 100 kilometers south of Tampa, in Siesta Key, as a level 3 hurricane with sustained wind speeds of up to 193 kilometers per hour. During the night, the storm weakened and moved out to sea. Mayorkas confirmed at least 27 tornadoes in connection with "Milton".
The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, said that although "Milton" had caused a lot of damage, the "worst-case scenario" had not materialized. The evacuation orders had saved lives, said Department of Defense spokesman Pat Ryder.
False reports and threats worry the US government
Just a few days before "Milton", storm "Helene" had hit the south-east of the USA, leaving devastation in its wake in several states. According to reports, well over 200 people lost their lives as a result of "Helene".
The storms hit in the middle of the election campaign. In less than a month, on November 5, presidential elections will take place in the USA. US Vice President Kamala Harris wants to prevent Republican Donald Trump from returning to the White House. A neck-and-neck race is emerging.
Mayorkas expressed concern about "deliberately spread misinformation" that has a real impact on survivors. For example, he said, there are claims circulating "that federal workers who are supposed to be helping people are going to take their land," he said. "We've seen that people are reluctant and hesitant to reach out for help (...) because they're afraid."
"Terrible hate speech of all kinds"
Mayorkas also spoke of threats against officials from the civil protection authority Fema. "We are seeing terrible hate speech of all kinds being spread on online platforms," said Mayorkas.
Biden also expressed his concern. People were risking their own lives to help others and were facing death threats. This is a result of "reckless, irresponsible, relentless false claims and outright lies" that continue to be spread.
He and his deputy Harris have been warning against false reports for days. They also accused the Republican Trump of deliberately spreading false information.
Trump promises "help like never before" after hurricane
The Republican presidential candidate published a video on Platform X and promised "help like never before". "Hopefully on January 20th there will be somebody in office who will really help," Trump said, referring to the outcome of the presidential election. The inauguration will take place on January 20.
Trump also announced that he would be traveling to the disaster area again. "I'll be there very soon," he said during a speech in Detroit. Trump had already traveled to affected areas twice after storm "Helene". Biden and Harris also visited places in the disaster area. However, Trump accuses them of not having responded appropriately to the storm.
SDA
