FACT CHECK: Video of collapsed building not from Türkiye

MANILA, Philippines — After a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit parts of Türkiye and Syria on Monday, February 6, several photos and videos have been circulating online showing the apparent aftermath of the disaster.

However, not all videos show the actual damage in Türkiye. Philstar.com compiled various misleading videos and photos that have been viewed and shared online. 

CLAIM:  One video tweet (0:37- 0:51) claims that a building collapsed in Türkiye and exploded due to the earthquake.

RATING: This is False.

FACTS: The video was actually a footage of a building that collapsed in Florida, USA in June 2021.

What the post said

The video tweet has a caption that says “Turkey'' paired with a heartbroken emoji.  This was followed by hashtags related to the recent tragedy.

What it left out

A reverse image search of a screengrab from the video shows that it was originally recorded and uploaded in June 2021. It was a footage of a condominium in Floria that collapsed.

Essential context

The devastating quake has so far killed over 21,000 people in Türkiye and Syria, and has flattened hundreds of buildings. Many victims have been left without shelter and clean drinking water.

Experts fear the number could still rise by the day.

Chances of finding survivors have dimmed now that the critical 72-hour rescue period has passed.

Why it matters

This video tweet has been viewd at least a million times on Twitter as of writing, reaching many people at a time accurate and correct information is needed for disaster response. — Video edited by Anj Andaya; with reports from Agence France Presse

 

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Philstar.com is a founding partner of Tsek.ph, a collaborative fact-checking project for the 2022 Philippines’ elections and an initiative of academe, civil society groups and media to counter disinformation and provide the public with verified information.

Want to know more about our fact-checking initiative? Check our FAQs here. Have a claim you want fact-checked? Reach out to us at factcheck@philstar.com.

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