This week, a video of a tsunami has gone viral on social media in which people can be seen standing on a rooftop and watching as vehicles, homes, and parts of buildings are swept away in the rush of floodwater below. This video has been circulated online over the years with the claim that it shows the aftermath of a tsunami in China. A Facebook page titled ‘Animesh Digital’ recently shared this video and wrote, “China betrayed the world by sending the virus, now the Almighty will betray it.”
चीन ने वायरस भेजकर दुनिया को धोखा दिया अब ऊपर वाला उसे धोखा दे रहा है
Posted by Animesh Digital on Tuesday, 25 August 2020
The same caption has been used to share the video on Facebook.
Some Twitter users also shared this clip claiming that this tsunami had hit China. Twitter user @GaneshKGavli5 posted the video with the Marathi caption, “Due to heavy rains, three dams collapsed and caused floods in China. See for yourself the kind of lesson China has got. A country which made itself a superpower through inhuman and selfish means. See the terror of this terrible flood. In the end, you will reap what you sow.”
🙆♂️ चीन मध्ये प्रचंड पावसामुळे तीन धरण फुटली आणि महापूर आला!!!!
अमानवीय कृत्य करुन अति स्वस्वार्थी महत्वाकांक्षेपोटी संपुर्ण जगाला भिकेला लावून स्वत:ला महासत्ता बनविणार्या चीनला नियतीने काय धडा दिला ते प्रत्यक्ष पहा
पहा जल महा प्रलयाचा तांडव
शेवटी काय
“करावे तसे भरावे” pic.twitter.com/4cxbmXMYXz— Ganesh K. Gavli (@GaneshKGavli5) August 26, 2020
Some of our readers also sent requests to fact-check this video on the official Alt News Android app.
Fact-check
Alt News had also fact checked this video in 2018. It was then viral as visuals from the Kerala floods.
Japan video
When we did a Google search using the keywords ‘Japan Tsunami’, we came across quite a few videos on YouTube. One of these was titled ‘TSUNAMI JAPAN 3.11/2011’. This is the video that is currently going viral and being passed off as floods in China. The clip was uploaded by Takuro Suzuki on December 18, 2011, and has received over 43 lakh views. The video description reads, “‘Ishinomaki Tidal Wave’ East Japan’s Earthquake. Photo of Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi. Don’t get stuck in such a bad condition. It’s impossible. I’m taking this picture from the roof of Ishinomaki Gas (Company).”
Another verified YouTube channel called FNN311 had also uploaded this video on October 25, 2012. The video description mentions that this is a video of a tsunami that occurred on March 11, 2011, in Ishinomaki, Japan. It had been recorded by an employee from a terrace near the port. FNN 311 is a Japanese news network. The channel has also included more information about the tsunami and additional links in the description.
In this video, a number of cylindrical and spherical structures can be seen between the 3:02 and 3:12 minute mark. A photo of the same location generated by Google Maps’ Street View in May 2013 is shown below. At present, though, there have been considerable changes in the structure and appearance of the place.
Therefore, social media users are sharing a video of the tsunami that struck Japan about a decade ago. This video had previously also been falsely circulated two years ago as a flood in Kerala. The video is completely unrelated to China and was actually taken in Japan.
Independent journalism that speaks truth to power and is free of corporate and political control is possible only when people start contributing towards the same. Please consider donating towards this endeavour to fight fake news and misinformation.
