A boat is submerged outside a flooded home caused by Hurricane Milton near the Alafia River in Lithia, Florida, on Oct. 11, 2024.

Biden again blasts disinformation after second hurricane batters South

by · Voice of America

WHITE HOUSE — During a briefing Friday on recovery efforts after Hurricane Milton at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden again warned about the spread of "disgusting" and "dangerous" misinformation and disinformation about the federal government's response to recent storms.

Responding to a reporter's question, Biden said that misleading information hurts people who need the most help. "Widowers, people in hospitals, people who are by themselves and they don't know, and they lose contact, and they get scared to death," he said.

"We're breaking through with it. We're breaking through with the truth," he said, noting that Republican governors and mayors have supported his call to stop the spread of disinformation.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has been spreading disinformation about the government's response, including that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, is limiting payouts to disaster survivors to $750, and that funding for Americans who are affected by the disaster was used up to provide housing for undocumented immigrants.

"I think those who have been spreading these lies to try to undermine the opposition are going to pay a price for it," Biden said, adding that Trump is not solely to blame but has the "biggest mouth."

Hangars at Albert Whitted Airport were damaged by winds from Hurricane Milton, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
People are rescued from an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Clearwater, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
A drone image shows the dome of Tropicana Field which has been torn open due to Hurricane Milton in St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
Marie Cook reacts to the damage to her home in the Binks Estates community after a tornado formed by Hurricane Milton touched down in Wellington, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024.
This image provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office shows an aerial view of the extensive flooding on Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, Oct. 10, 2024 after Hurricane Milton passed through the area.
An intense tornado whipped up by Hurricane Milton destroyed a beauty salon in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Oct. 10, 2024.
Damage to a home is seen after a tornado ripped through The Preserve development in Wellington as Hurricane Milton tracked across Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
A billboard structure is seen after it was uprooted during Hurricane Milton, Oct. 10, 2024, in Clearwater, Florida.
A view shows a collapsed construction crane that fell on the building that also hosts the offices of the <em>Tampa Bay Times</em>, after Hurricane Milton made landfall, in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
Residents are rescued from an their second story apartment complex in Clearwater that was flooded from and overflowing creek due to Hurricane Milton, Oct. 10, 2024 in Florida.
A drone view shows buildings and other structures damaged by Hurricane Milton after it made landfall, in Venice, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.
Debris is strewn on a street following the collapse of a crane, during heavy rainfall and strong winds caused by Hurricane Milton, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024, in this screengrab taken from social media. (Mike's Weather Page/via Reuters)
Objects are submerged in water after Hurricane Milton made landfall, in Venice, Florida, Oct. 10, 2024.&nbsp;
A view shows a fallen traffic light near a police car, after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, in Orlando, Oct. 10, 2024.&nbsp;
Utility poles are seen downed by strong wind gusts as Hurricane Milton approaches Fort Myers, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024.&nbsp;
Broken windows on a building are pictured as Hurricane Milton approaches Sarasota in Florida, Oct. 9, 2024.&nbsp;
Water-flooded streets are seen after Hurricane Milton made landfall, in Fort Myers, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024.
The sky lights up as an electric installation is damaged as Hurricane Milton approaches Sarasota, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024
A man records the storm as Hurricane Milton makes landfall, in Sarasota, Florida, Oct. 9, 2024.
A Lee County Sheriff's officer patrols the streets of Cape Coral, Florida, as heavy rain falls ahead of Hurricane Milton, Oct. 9, 2024.
Photo Gallery:
In photos: Hurricane Milton slams Florida

Biden provided an update on the federal government's response to hurricanes Milton and Helene flanked by his top aides, including Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. He was joined virtually by Vice President Kamala Harris from her campaign stop in Arizona.

Harris again warned companies against taking advantage of the storms to increase profit.

"Any company or individual that is using this crisis to jack up prices through illegal fraud or price gouging, whether it be at the gas pump, the airport or the hotel counter, we will be monitoring, and there will be a consequence," she said.

Milton deaths

Authorities in Florida said Friday that Hurricane Milton was responsible for at least 16 deaths, and that more than 2 million people remained without power as evacuees returned to their homes to assess the damage and begin cleaning up from the storm.

As of midday Friday, the website poweroutage.us reported 2.3 million people remained without power. Late Thursday, Biden said more than 50,000 line workers and 1,000 federal personnel were on the ground to respond.

The storm made landfall late Wednesday near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour. It carved a path of destruction across central Florida, affecting many communities still cleaning up from Hurricane Helene two weeks earlier.

While the state's western coast felt the direct hit from the storm, Milton also spawned tornados that affected the southeastern part of the state. Local media reported more than 19 tornadoes touched down even before the hurricane made landfall. Tornadoes are believed responsible for several deaths.

Debris is seen inside a convenience store in Lakewood Park, Florida, after a tornado hit the area and caused severe damage as Hurricane Milton swept through Florida on Oct. 10, 2024.

State government officials and the Florida National Guard reported more than 1,000 people were rescued since the storm made landfall.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported one of its aircrews rescued a man Wednesday clinging to a cooler floating in the Gulf of Mexico 48 kilometers off the Florida coast. It said the man was later taken to Tampa General Hospital for medical treatment.

State officials said while total damage assessments are still being made, the storm could have been much worse. The population center of Tampa was spared a direct hit, and the predicted record-setting storm surge did not materialize.

Meanwhile, scientists said climate change made Hurricane Milton stronger and more dangerous.

In a report issued Friday, the nonprofit group Weather Attribution said Milton went through an "explosive intensification" from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in 24 hours.

The group said the rapid intensification was driven and sustained by very high sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.

Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.