Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Video shows a multi-storey building collapse during the recent earthquake in Taiwan.
Archived versions of such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Also Read: Video Claiming To Show Sea Receding In Japan After Taiwan Earthquake Is 10-Years-Old
Fact
On carefully analysing the video, we observed that the video was actually a compilation of two clips. A Google lens search on its keyframes led us to a YouTube video by Fiaz Ali, dated February 7, 2023. It carried the viral video to show the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
Notably, the YouTube video carried a longer version of the second clip featured in the viral footage. We compared it to the viral video, and found that the second clip also showed the same building collapse from a different angle.
Also Read: 2019 Photo From Kolkata Shared As Massive Turnout At India Bloc Rally In Delhi
Following this, we looked up keywords “building collapse, “ “Turkey” and “earthquake” on YouTube which yielded a video by CBS News, dated February 7, 2023. It carried the same footage of a building collapse , stating “Video shows the moment a building collapsed in Turkey’s Sanliurfa province after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit the country and neighbouring Syria on Monday. The earthquake has killed more than 3,000 people.”
Another video report by The Guardian, dated February 6, 2023, featured the viral clip and stated, “At least one building collapsed in the Haliliye district of Şanlıurfa province on Monday during an aftershock of a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, footage released by the local Urfa TV showed.”
We could thus conclude that over a-year-old video from Turkey has been falsely shared to show a building collapse due to the recent earthquake in Taiwan.
Result: False
Sources
YouTube Video By CBS News, Dated February 7, 2023
YouTube Video By Guardian, Dated February 6, 2023
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
