Hurricane Helene has become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, particularly regarding lithium mining and weather manipulation.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, misinformation regarding the federal response has proliferated on social media platforms. More extreme conspiracy theories have emerged, including allegations that politicians manipulated weather patterns to target Republican regions and that the government intends to seize land in North Carolina for lithium mining.

These unfounded claims have been amplified by prominent politicians and social media influencers with substantial followings. Despite accumulating millions of views, these assertions have been thoroughly debunked by officials and experts, who emphasize that the government's focus remains on recovery efforts in the most affected areas. Below are two fact checks addressing the primary claims.

False claim: The government is seizing land in a North Carolina town for lithium mining.

Rumors suggesting that authorities are attempting to seize Chimney Rock, North Carolina, for a lithium mine have circulated widely on platforms such as X, TikTok, and Facebook.

Some of these rumors reference an alleged "town meeting" where officials purportedly announced plans to bulldoze Chimney Rock and transfer ownership of the land to the government. One post on X that propagated this falsehood received over 6 million views.

Rutherford County Emergency Management has stated that the claims regarding a government seizure of Chimney Rock "are entirely false," clarifying that no "special meeting" was convened to discuss such actions. They noted that North Carolina lawmakers met with local officials to seek federal and state assistance.

Some users spreading this misinformation have mentioned Kings Mountain, North Carolina, where a lithium mine is expected to reopen, while others have cited specific companies like Piedmont Lithium, which plans to establish a lithium mine in Gaston County, North Carolina.

It is important to note that these proposed lithium mines are situated approximately 80 to 100 miles away from Chimney Rock.

Local officials are diligently working to repair damaged infrastructure in the town. Chimney Rock has been providing updates online regarding its recovery initiatives.