Old video shared as house wall collapsing in Florida after Hurricane Milton

What's the claim?

A video showing a house wall collapsing has circulated online with claims that it depicts the effects of Hurricane Milton in Florida.

Hurricane Milton made landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm in Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9, 2024. The hurricane caused widespread devastation, resulting in multiple fatalities, displacing thousands, and triggering massive power outages. At least 14 people have been confirmed dead, and millions were left without power.

The 27-second clip, appearing to be CCTV footage from a flooded home, captures a man in a white T-shirt walking through ankle-deep water when a wall inside the room suddenly collapses, sending water rushing in. Screams are heard. The video is captioned: "House wall collapses in Florida hurricane."

This video was shared on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: “#BREAKING: HOUSE WALLS COLLAPSE INWARD ON HOME OWNER DURING HURRICANE IN FLORIDA! Praying for everyone's safety.” Archives of the posts can be found here, here, and here.

Screenshot of the viral claims. (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

The video also appeared on Facebook, claiming to show “WALLS COLLAPSE INWARD” during a “HURRICANE IN FLORIDA,” with archives available here, and here.

However, this footage is actually three years old and originates from New Jersey, depicting the basement wall of a home in Cranford collapsing during Hurricane Ida.

What did we find?

Through a reverse image search, we found the same clip in a video uploaded by NBC News on YouTube (archived here) on September 7, 2021, titled “Watch: Terrifying Moment NJ Home Wall Collapses Trapping 2 In Basement.” The footage shows a man wading through floodwaters in his home when a wall suddenly collapses, trapping his mother and brother in the basement of a house located in Cranford, New Jersey. 

According to the report, the trapped man created an air pocket by punching through the ceiling, while his brother used an umbrella to break a window and pull him to safety. Their mother clung to a boiler with only a few inches of water left. When she heard her husband’s voice, he urged her to open the window for rescue. The video also captured the aftermath of the collapse.

In September 2021, other news outlets, including 6ABC Philadelphia (archived here), CBS New York (archived here), and CNN, reported that the video showed floodwater crashing through a basement wall in Cranford, New Jersey. The reports added that the mother and one of her sons were trapped in the basement but were rescued and survived.

Hurricane Ida

Hurricane Ida was a powerful Category 4 storm that made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2021. The hurricane then moved northeast, causing flash floods and tornadoes across the Northeastern U.S., affecting areas such as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

In the aftermath, substantial flooding was reported in subway stations and tracks in New York City (archived here), leading to the suspension of all subway services. Widespread power outages also occurred. President Joe Biden's administration took action to restore power and provide assistance to those affected by the storm.

The verdict

While Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage in Florida in October 2024, the video of a basement wall collapsing is not linked to this storm. The widely shared footage was actually recorded in New Jersey during the flash flooding triggered by Hurricane Ida in 2021.