Video from Colombia shared as 'floods destroying houses' in India's Uttarakhand

What's the claim?

A video of houses being swept away by water has been shared on Facebook, with claims that it shows the flood situation in Badrinath, a town in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India, amid heavy rains. The video was shared with a Hindi caption asserting it depicts floods in Badrinath. Archived versions of such posts can be found here and here. 

Screenshot of the viral video circulating online. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

Uttarakhand experienced heavy rainfall recently, leading to widescale destruction following flooding in certain areas. On August 24, 2024, a landslide damaged homes and closed over 100 roads across the state. The Economic Times reported a fatal incident in Chamoli district, where a woman was killed by a falling boulder.

However, the claim that the video shows flooding in Badrinath is false. The video actually originates from Colombia. 

Here are the facts

A reverse image search of the video's keyframes led to a similar video taken from a different angle on the Colombian news outlet Noticias Caracol on May 5, 2024 (archived here). The video reports on an avalanche in Montebello, a municipality in Colombia's Antioquia Department, where over five houses were swept away and two people were injured. This indicates that the video was online before the recent rains in Badrinath.

Comparison of the viral video and the YouTube video. (Source: YouTube/Facebook)

El Colombiano, a local news outlet, published screengrabs from the viral video in its report, stating that a torrential flood caused by heavy rains destroyed 30 houses in Montebello's La Honda and Zarcitos area on May 4, 2024. Montebello's Mayor, Oscar Ernesto, confirmed that while houses in the hamlet of La Puentecita were damaged, residents were safely evacuated. Blu Radio, a Colombian radio station, corroborated this information.

The verdict

The video being circulated, which shows a flood due to heavy rains, actually depicts an event in Montebello, Colombia, and not the recent flooding in Badrinath, Uttarakhand, India.