FACT CHECK: Does This Video Show Buildings Collapsing In Turkey During The Earthquake?
A video shared on social media allegedly shows footage of a high-rise building collapsing during the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria.
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Verdict: False
The caption is inaccurate. The footage dates back to 2022 in China and was not caused by an earthquake.
Fact Check:
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has visited the injured survivors of the earthquake at Aleppo University Hospital vowing to work “nonstop” to help victims, Reuters reported. Anger has also grown among citizens due to the slow emergency rescue efforts in the country, according to the outlet.
The Instagram media post shows a tall apartment building collapsing as bystanders looking on evacuating the area. A hashtag in the caption attributes the video to Turkey.
The video predated the Turkey earthquake. A reverse image search dates the footage back to 2022,. The video was of a controlled demolition of abandoned apartments in China.
The Chinese enacted these demolitions as a way to control the price of housing in the country, The Telegraph reported. Analysts warned of this dangerous policy called the “build, pause, demolish, repeat strategy,” which allowed China to avoid a housing crisis while still allowing construction to continue, according to the outlet.
There is no credible news report that this demolition was related to the earthquake in Turkey. (RELATED: Does This Video Show A Building Collapse From The Turkey Earthquake?)
In recent days, there have been many posts that have shared videos and images that have been falsely associated with the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim footage showing a Turkish family during the earthquake.
