Video of People Filming Amid Tsunami Is Not From Tonga
The Claim
A video depicts people filming themselves amidst a tsunami.
News posted on
Emerging story
Several social media users have shared videos purporting to show people filming themselves in the midst of a tsunami. The footage, according to users, is of the recent tsunami in Tonga, which was caused by an underwater volcanic eruption in the South Pacific.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar's team investigated the widely circulated video and discovered it to be misleading. The video has nothing to do with the Tonga tsunami. An investigation by the Misbar team found that the video was uploaded to YouTube on Dec. 6, 2021. The video was shot in Sumatra, Indonesia, and depicts people being swept away by a wave on the Kampar River.
Tonga has been devastated by a massive volcanic eruption, with many homes destroyed and large swaths of land blanketed in thick ash.
