FACT CHECK: Facebook Video Shows Universal Studios Attraction, Not Flooding In Southern California

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on Facebook purports to show recent flooding in Southern California.

Screenshot captured via YouTube

Verdict: False

The claim is false. The original video, shared on YouTube in 2023, shows an attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Fact Check:

Recent rain in California produced over 400 mudslides in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press. Over 10 inches of rain fell in California since Feb. 4, the National Weather Service said, Reuters reported.

“This just happened in Santa Clarita earlier. Please pray for Southern California during these heavy rainstorms,” the Facebook video’s caption reads. In the clip, flood waters appear to rush down a tiny street.

The claim is false, however. The original video, shared on YouTube in 2023, shows an attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. “Universal Studios WATER FLOOD,” the video’s caption reads. The clip, which has received 1,000 likes, was posted by the user @ThemeParkShark.

A keyword search using the term “Universal Studios Water Flood” generates a longer video, also shared on YouTube, indicating the attraction is the Flash Flood Studio Tour.

“The Flash Flood attraction [was] incorporated into the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood was introduced in 1970 with the guidance of Jay Stein, President of the Recreation Division. This captivating attraction aimed to provide visitors an exhilarating adventure rather than just observing regular film production activities on the lot,” the video’s description reads in part.

“The attraction is set within a narrow street in a Mexican village, where a remarkable display occurs. By utilizing rain bars, an impressive movie-like rain effect is achieved by directing water sprays upwards to simulate rainfall. Intense strobe lighting and thunder sound effects bring a simulated thunderstorm effect to life. Occasionally, the rain becomes more intense, leading to a simulated flooding scenario,” the description continues.

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the video referenced in any credible news reports about recent flooding in Southern California. In fact, the opposite is true. The U.K.-based outlet Full Fact also debunked the video as false. (RELATED: Image Showing Farmers In Paris Is Artificially Created)

Check Your Fact has contacted Universal Studios Hollywood for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

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