A video depicting pilgrims sleeping outdoors during a Catholic festival in Lisbon, Portugal, has been shared on social media with the false claim that it shows the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Morocco. The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.8, struck Morocco on September 8, 2023, resulting in a high death toll. However, the video in question predates the earthquake and is unrelated to the disaster.
In the 15-second video, individuals can be seen sleeping on the ground, with several tents set up in the background. The misleading caption on Facebook reads, "Subhanallah this is really touching. Ta Allah! Protect the people of Morocco and forgive the dead ones. Ameen." A similar claim has been circulated on Twitter as well.
India TV did a Fact Check
Upon investigation, the India TV Fact Check team determined that the viral video actually originates from World Youth Day 2023, a Catholic festival held in Lisbon, Portugal, from August 1 to August 6, 2023. It was recorded prior to the earthquake in Morocco. Visual clues, the setting in an open area, and comments on the post that correctly identified the footage as being from the religious festival all contributed to this conclusion.
The video was originally shared on Instagram by a user named Solo Catecumenos, complete with hashtags related to the festival. It was posted on August 6, 2023, which precedes the Morocco earthquake. The same user also posted the video on YouTube, with the caption stating, "This is how the million and a half young people spent the night in #Lisbon #Lisbon2023 #JMJ2023."
Similar visuals of pilgrims sleeping outdoors during the Catholic festival were found on Twitter, matching the background seen in the misleading video. Pope Francis addressed the pilgrims at World Youth Day 2023 through a video message. Previous World Youth Day events were held in Panama City, Panama, in 2019, and the next one is scheduled for Seoul, South Korea, in 2027.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information before sharing it on social media, as misleading content can contribute to confusion and misinformation during times of crisis.
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