2015 video from Japan's Joso shared as recent flood rescue in Bangladesh

What is the claim?

A video circulating online shows people being airlifted by a helicopter from the rooftop of a building submerged in floodwater. It is being shared as footage of a rescue operation amid the recent floods in Bangladesh. While floodwaters have begun to recede in most parts of the country, the recent deluge has reportedly claimed at least 71 lives and affected over 5 million people.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video (archived here) with the caption in Bengali: “Bangladesh army is our pride. Thank you, Bangladesh army (translated from Bengali)." The same video has also been widely circulated on Facebook with the same caption. Archive links of these claims can be seen here and here.

Social media posts sharing the viral video. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, our investigation revealed that the video is not from Bangladesh but was actually filmed during a flood rescue operation in Japan in 2015.

What did we find?

A reverse image search of one of the video’s keyframes led us to a YouTube video by IBTimes UK (archived here), dated September 10, 2015, titled "Japan floods: Couple and their dogs rescued from rooftop after Joso City submerged under water." Comparing this video with the viral footage confirms that both depict the same flood rescue operation.

Further research using relevant keywords helped us find a BBC report showing similar visuals of rescue teams airlifting people from rooftops during severe floods in Joso, a city north of Tokyo. The report states that at least three people died due to flooding caused by a severe tropical storm in early September 2015. The storm affected a large area, stretching from Ibaraki Prefecture near Tokyo to Miyagi Prefecture.

Comparison of the viral video and the BBC visuals. (Source: X/BBC/Modified by Logically Facts)

Comparison of the viral video and the BBC visuals. (Source: X/BBC/Modified by Logically Facts)

Several news organizations, including NBC News and France 24, reported on the flooding in Japan in September 2015, featuring similar rescue visuals. NBC News noted that the flooding resulted from a river breach after Tropical Storm Etau brought over 20 inches of rain in 72 hours.

The verdict

The viral video is from September 2015 and shows a flood rescue operation in Japan. Social media users have falsely attributed it to the recent floods in Bangladesh.