Fact Check: Video of Chennai people enjoying swimming in floods is FAKE; Read

The aftermath of cyclone Michaung continues to bring misery to Chennai despite the subsiding heavy rains. Flooding persists in parts of the city, leading many to seek refuge in relief camps. While rail and air traffic have been restored, the suffering of the common man has not been alleviated. A video circulating on social media raises questions about people celebrating the rain and floods during this disaster. 

Campaign: 

The video is being circulated on social media, saying 'People on social media: prayers for Chennai they are in trouble. Meanwhile, the people of Chennai are enjoying the flood'. The video, which was tweeted on December 5, 2023, by a Twitter user named Mr. Lolwa, has already been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. In the video, many people are seen frolicking and swimming in the flowing water like water theme parks. The same video has been shared by many others on social media. Those who share the video criticize that even the flood is being celebrated by a group of people in Chennai. 

Fact:

The reality is that the circulating video is old and originates from Kanyakumari. This conclusion was reached through a reverse image search of the frames in the video. News 18, a national media outlet, had previously published the video in 2021 under the headline 'As people turn flood-hit Kanyakumari street into water park, youth swim and play volleyball.' The video has been misattributed and is now circulating in Chennai, creating confusion about the current situation in the city.

Conclusion:

A fact check has revealed that the video circulating with the claim of the flood in Chennai in the first week of December 2023 is fake.

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