Fact Check: Video showing flooding is not from Wayanad but China

A devastating landslide in Wayanad district, Kerala, has claimed more than 200 lives and left more than 100 people injured. With rescue operations still underway, the death toll is anticipated to rise as more bodies are being recovered from the debris.

Military personnel have intensified search and rescue operations, with the Army reporting that it has rescued nearly 1,000 people. Multiple agencies are working together to provide critical assistance to those affected.

Several videos circulating on social media aim to show the situation in Wayanad, Kerala. In one video, the water level is slowly rising until a gate of a house disappears under water, it looks like CCTV footage. Social media users shared the footage with the claim "Terrific footage in Wayanad, Kerala. There is also some Hindi text “केरल की इस त्रासदी ने दिल को छू लिया है । सभी प्रभावित परिवारों के लिए मेरी गहरी संवेदनाएँ” I

When translated to English, it reads, "This tragedy in Kerala has touched my heart. My deepest condolences to all the affected families”.

Fact Check: The claim is false, the viral video is not from Wayanad, Kerala. The video is from Meizhou, China, during a flood situation.

On observing the video, we found a date stamp in the top left corner, showing 2024-06-16, along with a time log. This date is different from the occurrence of the recent landslide in Wayanad.

During the reverse image search, we found an X user shared the same viral video on July 4, 2024. The video gained 179.3K views, 352 reposts, 36 quotes, and 1054 likes. The video was shared with the caption, "This video of a recent flooding in China shows the immense power of nature." This proves the video was on the internet before the recent Wayanad landslide.

It proves the video was already on the internet before the recent Wayanad Landslide.

We also found the same key frame uploaded on Reddit with the title, "The speed at which water rises during the flood in Meizhou, China, within 6 hours.

When we searched the key word “Recent Flood in China”, we found Disaster Update, a YouTube channel, uploaded it on its channel on June 16, 2024 with the Title “16 June 2024 - Meizhou, Guangdong, China - Time-lapse of severe flooding. DUFW24.

In the description Disaster Update mentioned “Meizhou, located in Guangdong Province, China, is a city known for its rich cultural heritage and picturesque landscapes. The region experiences a subtropical monsoon climate with significant rainfall during the summer months. On June 16, 2024, Meizhou experienced severe flooding due to heavy rains. A time lapse captured the rapid rise of floodwaters, inundating streets, homes, and businesses. The city's drainage systems were overwhelmed, leading to widespread disruptions. Flooding in Meizhou, while not uncommon during the rainy season, underscores the challenges faced by the community in managing extreme weather events and the importance of enhancing flood resilience and preparedness. DUFW24.

Hence, we found the claim is false. The viral video is not from Wayanad, Kerala; it is CCTV footage of the recent flood in Meizhou, China.