Old video of damage caused by storm in Myanmar linked to cyclone Michaung

Formed in the Bay of Bengal, cyclone Michaung has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to make landfall in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on December 5. With sustained winds of 80-90 kmph and gusts up to 100 kmph, it could bring heavy rainfall to most parts of Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh, and southern Odisha. Meanwhile, images of heavy rainfall have surfaced from Chennai, where the cyclone has triggered flooding, disrupting daily life. 

What is the claim?

Against this backdrop, a video has been circulating on social media, claiming to show the damage caused by cyclone Michaung. The 21-second clip depicts heavy wind and rainfall flooding a street and surrounding areas. Several users have shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), linking the video to Michaung. The caption of one such post reads, “After massive earthquake shook #Philippines, now warning of a cyclone is issued for southern states of India. Looks like nature's reckoning is onto something.” The post has garnered over 83,000 views and 173 likes. Archived versions of the viral post and similar others can be viewed here and here. 

Screenshots of the viral posts on X. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, this is an old video of heavy rains caused by cyclone Mocha at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in May.

What did we find?

The first four seconds of the viral video show a flooded street, while the remaining 17 seconds capture heavy rainfall lashing a building with trees swaying against strong winds in the background. A reverse image search on the keyframes of the viral video revealed that the first part of the clip is from a video captured in May. X user ‘Andhra Pradesh Weatherman’ had posted a longer version of the first part of the viral video on May 14, stating that it shows cyclone Mocha making landfall. He wrote, “#cycloneMocha Fury over Myanmar now. As expected a week ago, this cyclone is making Landfall now.”

News outlet WION had also posted a longer version of the first four seconds of the viral video on its official Facebook account on May 14. The caption of the post stated, “WATCH | #cycloneMocha made landfall at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border on Sunday. It is destroying trees and pouring torrential rain.”

Comparison between the viral clip and the video posted by WION. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

On further research, we found that news agency Reuters had published the viral video on YouTube as a short on May 15. The YouTube short captured both scenes from the viral video: the flooded street and the rain-lashed building. The YouTube description stated that cyclone Mocha pummeled Myanmar. Quoting Myanmar’s state-run media, Reuters stated that at least three people were killed, and more than 1,000 buildings were damaged.

Comparison between the viral video and the YouTube short published by Reuters. (Source: X/YouTube/Modified by Logically Facts)

It is clear that the viral video dates back to May and is not related to cyclone Michaung. The video actually shows cyclone Mocha making landfall at the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

Aftermath of cyclone Mocha

Cyclone Mocha made landfall along the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar on May 14 and destroyed hundreds of makeshift shelters. According to a BBC report dated May 19, at least 145 people were killed in the storm. The Rohingya minority was heavily affected, as 117 out of the 145 victims were from the community. The severe storm affected at least 800,000 people, making it the strongest cyclone of the century to hit the region. NASA stated that the cyclone was a Category 5 storm, with winds roaring as fast as 175 miles (280 kilometers) per hour.

The verdict

The viral video does not show floods and damage caused by cyclone Michaung. Instead, it was captured in May when cyclone Mocha made landfall along the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.