Fact check: Video of collapsed scaffolding not in Turkey

MANILA, Philippines — After a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6, several photos and videos have been circulating online showing the alleged aftermath of the disaster.

However, not all of these show actual damages in Turkey. Philstar.com compiled various misleading videos and photos that have been viewed and shared online. 

CLAIM: One tweeted a video (1:11-1:19) which claimed that a scaffolding fell from a building in Turkey due to the earthquake.

RATING: This is False.

FACTS: The video was from a 2016 incident in Japan and not from the 2023 earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria.

What the post said

The tweet showed a video of a scaffolding slowly falling down from a building and claimed that it happened in earthquake-hit Turkey.

What it left out

Running through a reverse image search, the original video is actually from a 2016 incident in Japan.

Essential context

The devastating quake has so far killed over 24,000 people in Turkey and Syria, flattened thousands of buildings and threatened the lives of many victims who are without shelter and drinking water.

Experts fear the number will continue to rise sharply.

Chances of finding survivors have dimmed now that the 72-hour mark that experts consider the most likely period to save lives has passed.

Why it matters

This specific tweet was viewed more than 20,000 times on Twitter, as of writing.  

It is also important to note that the Twitter user (@CBKNEWS121) that shared this video was labeled as a “Media & News Company”.  

This can potentially be dangerous for the almost 12,000 users following this account who may be misled by the video shared. 

Adding misinformation does not help at all to an already volatile and stressful situation in Turkey and Syria. — Video edited by Anj Andaya; with reports from Agence France Presse

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