These Videos Do Not Document Hurricane Ian in Florida
The Claim
Recent footage depicts Hurricane Ian causing landfall in Naples, Florida.
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Emerging story
A 7-second video purportedly depicting Hurricane Ian's landfall in Florida is currently circulating on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading.
The video is old and unrelated to Hurricane Ian hitting Florida.
Video Depicts Hurricane Michael
A 4-minute video combines multiple clips of a violent storm crashing on a rooftop and sending debris over a residential area. The video was uploaded to YouTube in October 2018, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Michael on Florida's northwest coast.
The storm splintered houses, peeled off roofs, and sent boats careening down city streets, according to The New York Times. Meanwhile, more than 370,000 people in Florida have been ordered to evacuate.
Hurricane Ian Misinformation Wave
Users on social media have shared dramatic and shocking videos of high winds and violent storms wreaking havoc on residential areas in Florida and Cuba. During this time, outdated visuals and videos that were misleading were shared online in relation to the disaster.
Other users have shared a video of former Fox News anchor Shepard Smith standing in front of a hurricane warning map in Florida.
“This moves 20 miles to the west, and you and everyone you know are dead - all of you - because you can’t survive it. It’s not possible unless you’re very, very lucky. And your kids die too,” he said.
However, the clip predates Hurricane Ian. It was filmed in 2016 after Hurricane Matthew struck Florida and Georgia.
Hurricane Mathew killed at least 15 people, according to reports.
Our research indicates that other videos that have gone viral in the wake of Hurricane Ian are old and unrelated to the incident.
A waterspout video posted online in relation to Hurricane Ian is from a month ago and is outdated. The image depicts a "remarkable waterspout" in Florida's Destin.
Photo description: The footage predates Hurricane Ian.
Another video of dark clouds over the sea went viral, with users claiming it depicted Hurricane Ian.
The footage, on the other hand, is at least a year old and shows clouds over Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Hurricane Ian Left 2 Million Without Power
Southwest Florida was devastated by Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to make landfall on the United States' mainland. There were two confirmed deaths, widespread property damage, and the disappearance of at least 20 Cuban refugees.
As social media users shared dramatic videos of high winds and heavy rains, news outlets reported that more than 2 million customers lost power.
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