Though many across the country watched from afar, the impact of Hurricane Helene on Florida’s Gulf Coast has been deeply felt by those affected. The Category 4 hurricane left widespread damage, forcing many to evacuate and schools to close. For those following the event online, the storm’s devastation was clear in its disruption to daily life.
As the storm unfolded, students and teachers not directly in the hurricane’s path turned to social media and online news outlets to stay updated. Kemi Morohunfola, 12, expressed both concern and sympathy for people living through the storm’s harshest conditions.
“I was following the storm on Instagram and Twitter,” Morohunfola said. “It was shocking to see the videos of flooded streets and roofs being torn off. Even though we weren’t hit as hard here, it was hard not to feel worried about those who live on the coast.”
The images shared online were severe: flooded homes, uprooted trees, and streets littered with trash. Students and teachers turned to their online networks to check and offer support, even from a distance. Dena Marlar, AP Human Geography teacher who followed the storm closely via news reports.
“I couldn’t believe the photos I was seeing. As a teacher, it’s hard not to think about how this is affecting students, especially those who might not have stable resources to recover quickly. The fact that some schools and students couldn’t access online learning due to power outages was heartbreaking. It made my husband contribute money through one of the christian radio stations that was holding a fundraiser for them,” said Marlar.
As Hurricane Helene made landfall, social media platforms flooded with images, and pleas for help from Florida residents. Within hours, hashtags like #HeleneRelief and #FloridaStrong began trending, connecting people across the country to fundraising efforts, relief drives, and supply donations. Amaka Gbulie, 12, followed the hurricane on Twitter.
“I couldn’t believe how fast people came together online,” Gbulie said. “I saw posts linking to GoFundMe campaigns, information on where to donate, and even people offering to drive supplies into affected areas.”
Environmental groups and climate activists used the visibility of Helene to raise awareness about the urgent need for policy change, pushing for action to mitigate future disasters.
“It’s easy to feel helpless when you see the destruction of a hurricane like Helene, but it’s also a wake-up call,” said Fox. “We can’t ignore that climate change is making these storms more frequent and more intense. The conversations online made it clear—this isn’t just a Florida problem; it’s a global issue.”
However, not all online engagement around Hurricane Helene was focused on aid or climate action. In a world where constant access to information and media has become the norm, the fine line between awareness and detachment is increasingly blurred. Some corners of social media saw the storm as a spectacle, with users sharing dramatic videos that minimized the seriousness of the disaster. On platforms like TikTok and YouTube, clips of the hurricane—set to music or edited for dramatic effect—became viral content, sometimes prioritizing entertainment over empathy.
“I saw this one video where someone was walking through the flooding with this dramatic music playing in the background,” said Gbulie. “It was so weird because the music made it feel more like a movie than a real-life disaster. It almost felt like they were glamorizing it.”
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the profound impact is felt not only by those directly affected, but also by communities watching from afar. As students and teachers turned to social media for updates, they expressed concern for those enduring the storm’s destruction. The rapid mobilization of support through hashtags demonstrated the power of digital connections in facilitating aid and raising awareness. However, the contrasting portrayal of the hurricane as entertainment on platforms like TikTok raises critical questions about the balance between awareness and detachment.