A misleading video depicting three individuals being swept away by a tidal wave has gone viral, with false claims tying it to Japan's recent earthquake. India TV's Fact Check team has debunked these claims, revealing that the video captures a tidal bore incident that transpired in Indonesia in December 2021. Despite this clarification, the video is being widely shared on social media platforms, especially Facebook.
The viral footage shows a man standing near the coast with arms outstretched, accompanied by a woman, and another man recording the approaching waves with a selfie stick. Subsequently, they are engulfed by the waves. The misleading caption warns against such actions during a tsunami and encourages staying home for safety.
Fact-checkers traced the video's origin to Indonesia, specifically a tidal bore event near the Kampar River in Riau. A report by Detik News from December 9, 2021, highlighted the incident and explained that tidal bores are a common tourist attraction in the region. By searching for the video using the Indonesian term "Ombak Bono," referring to tidal bores, a similar video surfaced on YouTube, shared on December 7, 2021.
While the exact date of the video remains unverified, it is established that the footage predates the recent earthquake in Japan. The false association underscores the importance of fact-checking information before sharing it, especially during sensitive events such as natural disasters.
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