These Photos Do Not Depict Hurricane Ian in Cuba
The Claim
These photos depict the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which recently hit Cuba.
News posted on
Emerging story
A series of photos purportedly showing the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which recently hit Cuba, has been shared on social media by users and news agencies.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar discovered that the photos making the rounds were outdated.
Outdated Photos of Hurricane Ian Resurface
The first widely circulated image shows a group of people wading through a flooded street in Havana, Cuba, following Hurricane Irma's passage. On September 10, 2017, photographer Ramon Espinosa captured the image for AP.
The second viral photo shows Cubans wading through a flooded street in Havana following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma.
Yamil Lage took the photograph for AFP on September 10, 2017.
The third old photo shows Santo Domingo streets flooded by Tropical Storm Laura on August 23, 2020, causing the collapse of homes. Erika Santelices took the photo for AFP on August 23, 2020.
The fourth old photograph depicts people wading through a flooded street in Havana, Cuba, following the passage of Hurricane Irma.
On September 10, 2017, Reuters published the photograph.
Misbar found the last photo making the rounds, first published in an article on an Arabic website on August 31, 2008. The photo shows sea waves hitting the seawall in the west part of Cuba after Hurricane Gustav hit the area.
Hurricane Ian Strikes Cuba
Flooded fields and downed trees can be seen in photos from the province's capital of San Juan y Martinez posted on the official news agency Cubadebate.
The hurricane struck Cuba during a period of severe economic downturn. Blackouts and shortages of food, medication, and fuel may affect recovery from Ian.
On Tuesday morning, Category 3 Hurricane Ian devastated Cuba. According to Cuban state media, the entire island was reportedly in a national blackout as of Tuesday night. According to Cuban officials, the hurricane caused the power outage, and they hoped to begin restoring power late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Hurricane Ian Headed Towards Florida
More than 2.5 million Floridians were ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Ian approached Florida's west coast on Tuesday, knocking out power across the entire island of Cuba.
The storm's first effects hit Southern Florida on Tuesday evening, with heavy rain, rainstorms, and tornado warnings that will last all night. A suspected tornado at North Perry Airport in Broward County, according to Mayor Michael Udine on Twitter, severely damaged a number of planes and hangars.
On Tuesday night, Ian had hurricane-force winds reaching 40 miles from its center and tropical storm-force winds reaching around 140 miles, according to the National Hurricane Center. Wind gusts of more than 50 mph were also recorded in some areas of the Florida Keys.
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