SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Florida residents are returning to the familiar ritual of assessing hurricane damage, the day after Milton smashed through many coastal communities and spawned a barrage of tornadoes that killed at least five people. There is so much misinformation about what kind of aid is being made available that FEMA has set up a special web page to debunk the rumors and lies.
One claim circulating is that FEMA is out of money and Congress needs to approve emergency funds. Senator Mike Rounds says $20 billion is already available with another $8 billion in unused funds from earlier appropriations.
“We’ve got a real mess down there but this is not a case of Congress having to get back in right away. We have the money, we’ve appropriated it, he has access to it,” said Rounds.
It’s one of several incorrect claims gaining traction.
“There is always so much information out there on social media,” said Congressman Dusty Johnson. “People are saying all the folks in the disaster area are capped at 750 dollars in federal assistance that’s not true. That’s one program there are a lot of programs.”
The $750 is part of what’s called the Serious Needs Assistance Program which aims to cover emergency supplies for disaster victims like food, water and shelter in the days after a disaster. Senator John Thune says in the days after a disaster he finds the most reliable information comes from local officials.
“You rely heavily on mayors and county officials and people on the ground and I think that’s where you need to look when it comes to who is saying what and what the real state of the facts are on the ground and it generally comes down to my view the people who are experiencing the disaster first hand,” said Thune.
Another claim that money meant for hurricane victims is going to illegal immigrants is also being debunked. FEMA says the money was part of a separate grant program to help cities and towns that saw an influx of legal migrants
