Elon Musk pledged to send Starlink terminals to victims of Hurricane Helene and allow them 30 days' worth of free access to his satellite-based internet service. But the SpaceX CEO failed to mention it will cost users more than $400 for the system's hardware.

FEMA said it was providing Starlink devices to help first responders communicate. Residents affected by flooding can use the service, too.

In the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Helene, the Elon Musk-owned social media site X — formerly Twitter — has since transformed into a noxious breeding ground for destructive misinformation about the storm and the response by the US government's Federal Emergency Management Agency,