In the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Helene in the United States this week, a new storm emerged on social media - false rumours about how disaster funds have been used, and even claims that officials control the weather.

Local and national government officials say they are trying to combat the rumours, including one spread by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

One of the more far-fetched rumours is that Helene was an engineered storm to allow corporations to mine regional lithium deposits. Others accuse the administration of President Joe Biden of using federal disaster funds to help migrants in the country illegally, or suggest officials are deliberately abandoning bodies in the cleanup.

Republican Congress member Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X Thursday (Oct 3) night: "Yes they can control the weather. It's ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can't be done."

The conspiracy theories come at a pivotal time for rescue and recovery efforts following the storm, one of the deadliest US hurricanes this century. And the presidential election between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is just over a month away.

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