A post shared on Facebook claims to show a photo of a flooded rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Georgia following the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

Verdict: Misleading

The image was taken in 2009 and is unrelated to Hurricane Helene.

Fact Check:

Officials and farmers are surveying extensive crop damage to Georgia’s agriculture following the historic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, according to Fox5 Atlanta. Citing the Georgia Department of Agriculture, approximately 30% of the peanut crop has been destroyed, while a third of the cotton crop is a “total loss.”

The Facebook image appears to show the “Great American Scream Machine” rollercoaster submerged in muddy waters and has been widely shared online. “This is Six Flags in Austell, Georgia after Hurricane Helene and the power of water, as it was reported on the News Channel,” the post’s caption reads.

The viral post incorrectly links the image of the submerged rollercoaster to Hurricane Helene. The photograph in question was taken during record flooding in Georgia in 2009, not in 2024. The image can be traced back to the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), where it was posted in September 2009 and credited to photographer Erik S. Lesser, which was also featured by NBC News.

The rollercoaster was submerged by floodwaters from the Chattahoochee River, which overflowed after continuous rainfall. This event caused over $500 million in damage across the state. The image has also been featured on stock image websites like Shutterstock and in news outlets covering the 2009 flooding, including the Daily Mail.

A Reuters Fact Check article published Oct. 8, debunked the viral claims, confirming that the image predates Hurricane Helene. Additionally, Six Flags Over Georgia issued a Facebook update on September 27, 2024, stating that the park was temporarily closed due to the storm but did not report any significant flooding like that seen in 2009. The park reopened on September 28, with some rides, including the Great American Scream Machine, remaining closed.