Hurricane Milton: Destruction, politics, and misinformation
Oct 11, 2024
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Tom Bateman, a seasoned BBC correspondent based in Orlando, provides firsthand insights into the chaos following Hurricane Milton, which has devastated communities across Florida. Joined by Marco Silva, a BBC Verify reporter, they investigate the rampant misinformation surrounding the hurricane and its connection to election narratives. The duo delves into conspiracy theories about weather manipulation and explores how political agendas exploit disaster recovery efforts, exposing the profound impact of these false claims on public perception and voter sentiment.
Hurricane Milton's unprecedented force caused severe disruption in Florida, impacting evacuation efforts and overwhelming emergency services amid toxic floodwaters.
Misinformation surrounding the hurricane and disaster relief funds has heightened political tensions, influencing public perception and trust in government agencies during the election period.
Deep dives
Impact of Hurricane Milton on Florida
Hurricane Milton has hit Florida with unprecedented force, causing widespread destruction and significant disruption across the state. With wind gusts reaching 180 miles per hour and having made landfall as a Category 3 storm, its impact was felt heavily in populous areas such as Tampa and St. Petersburg, where record rainfall and storm surges added to the chaos. Many residents face the daunting task of evacuating, often finding themselves stranded on highways due to heavy traffic and gas shortages as they flee the storm's imminent threat. The storm's aftermath brings concerns about toxic floodwaters in affected areas, exacerbating the dangers already posed by power outages and dangerous conditions following extensive flooding.
Misinformation During Natural Disasters
During the turmoil of Hurricane Milton, misinformation has proliferated on social media, with narratives suggesting that the hurricane was somehow engineered for political purposes. These conspiracy theories gain traction, particularly given the approaching presidential election, leading to claims without any credible evidence, which have been widely debunked by experts. Despite the existence of weather manipulation techniques like cloud seeding, these methods are ineffective for controlling hurricanes of Milton's magnitude, emphasizing that current technology cannot create or steer such storms. The spread of disinformation fuels distrust in emergency responses and can significantly alter public perception regarding government agencies involved in disaster relief, amplifying fears and misinformation.
Political Repercussions and the Role of Climate Change
The aftermath of Hurricane Milton has a direct influence on political discourse, particularly as misinformation regarding disaster relief funding emerges during a crucial election period. Claims have been made that funds designated for disaster response are being diverted to assist migrants, a narrative that FEMA and other officials have categorically refuted. As climate change worsens weather patterns, scientists warn that man-made global warming is contributing to the increased intensity and frequency of hurricanes. The complexity of these storms is acknowledged, with rising sea levels and warmer ocean temperatures creating conditions that exacerbate flooding and storm severity, which complicates the response for both residents and authorities.
Hurricane Milton has left millions of homes across Florida without power, less than a fortnight after hurricane Helene ravaged states across the south-eastern US. Misinformation surrounding both storms has become rife online, including the false narrative that the government is manipulating the weather ahead of November's election. Further debunked allegations that recovery funds were redirected towards illegal migrants have been adopted by mainstream Republicans, causing widespread political fallout, even as a bipartisan recovery effort continues.
On this episode, Azadeh Moshiri is joined by our correspondent in the US, Tom Bateman, and BBC Verify reporter, Marco Silva. They discuss what's happening both on the ground and online, and consider how these events could influence the presidential election. Additional reporting comes from Elizabeth Rizzini.
The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.
Producers: Laurie Kalus, Alix Pickles, and Mariana Hernandez-Carillo
Sound engineer: Mike Regaard
Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas
Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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