In late August 2024, a misleading video circulating on social media claimed to show floodwaters from China flowing into Laos, causing alarm amid actual flash floods in the region. The video quickly went viral, fueling confusion, but investigations revealed it had no connection to the ongoing events in Laos.
False Social Media Claims Spread Alarm
On August 26, 2024, a post on X (formerly Twitter) falsely asserted that China had released water into the Mekong River, causing floods in Thailand and Laos. The video, showing a fast-moving river, misled viewers into thinking it was part of the Mekong River system. Shared over 10,000 times and across multiple social platforms, the post stoked fears during an already difficult time for Southeast Asia, which was experiencing heavy rains.
Fact Check: Video Shows Luo River in China
In reality, the video does not depict flooding along the Mekong River. Through Reverse Image searches and Geolocation analysis conducted by Lao Youth Radio team, the investigations identified that the footage was taken near Yan’an, in China’s Shaanxi province. The river shown is the Luo River, which flooded between August 6 and 9, 2024, following days of heavy rainfall. The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV confirmed that the Luo River experienced its worst flooding since 1994 during this period.
No Evidence of a Dam Burst in China
The viral video also falsely suggested that a dam burst in China was responsible for the flooding. However, no reports or evidence supported this claim. Both Mekong River Commission (MRC) and local experts confirmed that the flooding in Southeast Asia was caused by seasonal monsoon rains, not by events in northern China.
#GeolocationAnalysis #Misinformation #DamBurst #Flood
