Claim: Viral images show the aftermath of the Telangana earthquake.
Fact: The images are old and unrelated to the Telangana earthquake.
On the morning of December 4, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck Telangana’s Mulugu district at 7:27 AM, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). Tremors were also felt in Hyderabad and parts of neighboring Andhra Pradesh.
Shortly after, several images depicting collapsed buildings and damaged roads started circulating on social media, claiming to show the destruction caused by the earthquake in Telangana. In this article, we will fact-check six such images.
Image 1: The image shows a large pile of rubble in the middle of a city street, surrounded by several buildings. It was shared on X with the caption, “Hyderabad Shaken by Massive Earthquake.”
Fact Check
Several factors in the image raise suspicion. A car appears to be parked near what seems to be the second floor of the rubble, with no visible access points. Additionally, the text on the signage looks distorted, a common sign of an AI-generated image. The staircase in front of the building ends abruptly, adding to the oddness.
NewsMeter used advanced AI detection tools to analyze the image and confirmed that it is AI-generated, not a real depiction of the earthquake’s aftermath in Hyderabad.
Hive Moderation identified the image as 99.9% likely to be AI-generated. Another tool, AI or NOT, also verified that the image is most likely AI-created.
Image 2: This image shows a cracked asphalt with large fissures splitting the road. The surrounding area is covered in dirt and debris, with some vehicles and barriers in the background.
The image was posted on Instagram with the caption “Earthquakes tremors felt for several seconds in the surrounding villages of Hyderabad, Hanumakonda, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Manuguru, Godavari Khani, Bhupalapally, Charla, Chintakani, Bhadrachalam, Vijayawada, Jaggayyapet, Thiruvur, and Gampalagudem.”
Fact Check
Using reverse image search we have found that the image was uploaded to PxHere, a website that hosts free stock images. From the image description we found that the image was uploaded by Bernard Spragg, a travel photographer from New Zealand on January 16, 2017. According to the Alt description of the image, it was shot after an earthquake in New Zealand.
Hence it is clear that the image is old and does not show a road damaged due to the Telangana earthquake.
Image 3: This image shows a close-up of a crack in a concrete walkway, revealing the earth beneath.
The X user who shared the image wrote “Earthquake tremors felt in Mulugu Telangana magnitude measured 5.3 on the Richter scale.”
Fact Check
Through a reverse image search, we found the photograph in a report by The San Diego Union-Tribune titled “Earthquakes in California are discovered more than 15 miles deep, heightening seismic worries.” Published on October 6, 2016, the report credited the image to Allen J. Schaben of the Los Angeles Times.
According to the report, the photograph shows a crack that developed on a sidewalk in 2014 at Discovery Well Park in the Seacliff area of Huntington Beach, located along the Newport-Inglewood fault.
As the image has been online since at least 2016, it is clear that it does not depict a cracked walkway caused by the recent earthquake in Telangana.
Image 4: The image shows a damaged road with visible cracks and signs of subsidence, where the surface appears uneven and slightly sunken, with pieces of asphalt scattered around and some construction material sticking out in the background.
This image has been shared by the same X user.
Both Images 3 and 4 have been shared here and here as well.
Fact Check
Upon conducting a reverse image search of the image we have found that the image is a stock photo uploaded to the website istockphoto. According to details mentioned in the website, the image was uploaded by user ‘SDubi’ on February 20, 2015. Hence the image does not show the aftermath of the Telangana Earthquake.
Image 5: This image shows a deep crevice in the road, with barriers and vehicles in the background.
A picture collage with the image was shared on Facebook with the text “There was an earthquake in Telangana?”
The same image is also used in this Instagram post, but it bears a “Stock Image” watermark. However, the post has garnered more than 65,000 likes, with many people in the comment section assuming the image is from Hyderabad.
Fact Check
Using reverse image search we have found another image of the scene from a different angle uploaded to Shutterstock, a website that hosts stock images. The image was uploaded to the website by contributor ‘I Love Photo’ with the caption “Cracked asphalt after earthquake, soldier Check locations on May 5,2014 in Chiang Rai, Thailand.”
This image was shot in 2014 in Chiang Rai and does not show the road damaged due to the Telangana Earthquake.
No significant damage reported
According to The Hindu, Telangana’s Mulugu District Collector, TS Divakara, confirmed that no significant damage has been reported following the earthquake “The earthquake occurred between 7:30 am and 7:40 am, with tremors lasting 6 to 8 seconds. Officials were immediately alerted to assess any loss of life or property, and no major incidents have been reported so far,” he said.
He added that officials have been directed to inspect dilapidated and temporary structures, and their reports are awaited.
Claim Review: Viral images show the aftermath of the Telangana earthquake.
Claimed By: Social Media Users
Claim Reviewed By: NewsMeter
Claim Source: Social Media
Claim Fact Check: False
Fact: The images are old and unrelated to the Telangana earthquake.
(This story was originally published by NewsMeter, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)
