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The recent 4.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Delhi-NCR on February 17, 2025, triggered a wave of social media activity, much of it centered around the spread of misinformation. Two images depicting partially collapsed multi-story buildings quickly gained traction, falsely attributed to the damage caused by the Delhi earthquake. These images, shared extensively on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, fueled anxieties and further disseminated inaccurate information about the extent of the earthquake's impact. A thorough investigation by India Today Fact Check revealed the deceptive nature of these circulating images, highlighting the urgent need for critical evaluation of information shared online, particularly during times of crisis.
The India Today Fact Check team employed a reverse image search methodology to trace the origins of the viral photographs. This technique, which uses image recognition software to identify similar or identical images across the internet, proved instrumental in debunking the false narrative. One of the images, showing a partially collapsed four-story building, was located in a Hindustan Times news report from November 9, 2015. The report clarified that the building collapse was a consequence of an earthquake that occurred in October 2015 in Delhi's Safdarjung Enclave. Crucially, the 2015 incident, unlike the claims associated with the February 2025 earthquake, involved no casualties.
The second image's provenance proved equally misleading. Its origin traced back to a Facebook post from 2021, and it had been repurposed in various articles discussing earthquakes across different time periods. Furthermore, a strikingly similar image appeared in a Turkish magazine, Cornucopia, within an article detailing the devastating 1999 earthquake in northwestern Turkey. Although the precise origins couldn't be definitively confirmed as Turkey, the context clearly established the image's age and its disconnect from the recent Delhi earthquake. The consistent reappearance of this image in unrelated earthquake coverage across several years underscores the risk of its continued misattribution and highlights the necessity for careful source verification.
The contrast between the viral imagery and the actual, limited impact of the Delhi earthquake underscores the significant threat posed by the rapid spread of misinformation. Reports following the February 2025 earthquake indicated minimal damage, with the most significant incident being the uprooting of a tree in Jheel Park, Dhaula Kuan. This stark difference between the fabricated images of widespread destruction and the reality of minimal damage serves as a cautionary tale about the speed at which false narratives can proliferate online and the importance of verifying the sources of shared information. The incident also highlights the need for improved media literacy among users to discern credible sources from misinformation campaigns.
The dissemination of these fake images had the potential to create unnecessary panic and fear. In a scenario involving a real natural disaster, the spread of false information concerning the severity of the event could hinder rescue and relief efforts, potentially endangering lives. Furthermore, the rapid circulation of unsubstantiated visual content can erode trust in official sources and contribute to the overall polarization of public discourse. The case of the fabricated Delhi earthquake images serves as a compelling illustration of the need for critical media consumption habits and the development of robust mechanisms to counter the spread of misinformation on social media platforms. The role of fact-checking organizations in verifying information and correcting false narratives is crucial in maintaining public trust and ensuring the responsible dissemination of news and information during times of crisis.
Source: Fact Check: These images of destruction are NOT from the Delhi earthquake