Do these viral photos show the aftermath of the Telangana earthquake? Fact check

Claim: Viral photos show aftermath of Telangana earthquake.

Fact: The pictures are old and have nothing to do with the Telangana earthquake.

On the morning of December 4, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck Mulugu district in Telangana at 7:27 a.m., according to the National Center of Seismology (NCS). Residents of Hyderabad and parts of neighboring Andhra Pradesh also felt the tremor.

Soon after, several photos depicting collapsed buildings and damaged roads began circulating on social media, allegedly showing the devastation caused by the earthquake in Telangana. In this article, we will validate 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

There are several factors in the picture that raise suspicions. A car appears to be parked near what appears to be the second floor of the rubble, with no visible access points. Additionally, the text on the sign appears distorted, which is a common sign of an AI-generated image. The staircase in front of the building ends suddenly, which adds to its strangeness.

NewsMeter used advanced AI-powered detection tools to analyze the image and confirmed that it was generated by AI, and not an actual depiction of the aftermath of the earthquake in Hyderabad.

Hive Moderation determined that the image was 99.9% likely to be AI generated. Another tool, AI or NOT, also verified that the image was most likely generated by artificial intelligence.

Photo 2: This photo shows cracked asphalt with large cracks dividing the road. The surrounding area is covered in dirt and debris, with some vehicles and barriers in the background.

The picture was posted on Instagram with the caption, “Earth tremors were felt for several seconds in the villages around Hyderabad, Hanumakonda, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Manuguru, Godavari Khani, Bhupalapalli, Charla, Chintakani, Bhadrachalam, Vijayawada, Jaggayapet, Tiruvoor, Jambalagudem. “

Fact check

Using a reverse image search, we found that the image had been uploaded to PxHere, a website that hosts free images. From the photo description we found that the photo was uploaded by Bernard Sprague, a travel photographer from New Zealand on January 16, 2017. According to the alternative description of the photo, it was taken after an earthquake in New Zealand.

Hence it is clear that the picture is old and does not show the road damaged due to the Telangana earthquake.

Image 3: This image shows a close-up of a crack in a concrete driveway, revealing the ground underneath.

“Earthquake tremors were felt in Mulugu Telangana and measured 5.3 on the Richter scale,” wrote user X who shared the photo.

Fact check

Through a reverse image search, we found the image in a San Diego Union-Tribune report titled “California earthquakes detected more than 15 miles deep, raising seismic concerns.” Published on October 6, 2016, the report attributed the image to Allen J. Chapin of the Los Angeles Times.

According to the report, the photo shows a crack that developed on the sidewalk in 2014 at Discovery Wheel Park in the Seacliff area of ​​Huntington Beach, located along the Newport-Inglewood Fault.

Since the image has been online since at least 2016, it clearly does not depict a cracked corridor caused by the recent earthquake in Telangana.

Image 4: The image shows a damaged road with clear cracks and subsidence marks. The surface appears uneven and slightly sunken, with bits of asphalt scattered around it and some construction materials visible in the background.

This photo was shared by the same user

Images 3 and 4 were shared here and here as well.

Fact check

When performing a reverse image search, we found that the image was a stock image uploaded to the istockphoto website. As per the details mentioned on 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 gash in the road, with barriers and vehicles in the background.

A collage with the photo was shared on Facebook with the text “Did there be an earthquake in Telangana?”

The same image is also used in this Instagram post, but has a “Stock Image” watermark. However, the post has received over 65,000 likes, with many people in the comments section assuming that the photo is from Hyderabad.

Fact check

Using a reverse image search, we found another photo of the scene from a different angle that had been uploaded to Shutterstock, a website that hosts stock images. The photo was uploaded to the site by contributor “I Love Photo” with the caption “Cracked asphalt after earthquake. A soldier inspects sites on May 5, 2014 in Chiang Rai, Thailand.”

This photo was taken in 2014 in Chiang Rai and does not show the road damaged by the Telangana earthquake.

No major damage was reported

According to The Hindu, Telangana's Mulugu district collector TS Divakara confirmed that no major damage was reported in the aftermath of the earthquake. He added: “We have been alerted to assess any loss of life or property, and no major incidents have been reported so far.”

He added that officials have been directed to inspect dilapidated and temporary buildings and are awaiting their reports.

Review Claim: Viral photos show aftermath of Telangana earthquake. Claimed By: Social Media Users Claim Reviewed By: NewsMeter Claim Source: Social Media Claim Fact Checked: False Fact: The photos are old and have nothing to do with the Telangana earthquake.

(This story was originally published by NewsMeter, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collection)

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.BizWebsite: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos