Fact-Check: Old CGI Video of Lightning Falsely Linked to Earthquake in Morocco

This video is old and created using CGI, it is unrelated to Morocco.

Rujuta Thete
WebQoof
Published:
<div class="paragraphs"><p>Fact-check: This old and animated video of massive lightning is going viral to claim that this is happened just before the earthquake struck in Morocco. </p></div>
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Fact-check: This old and animated video of massive lightning is going viral to claim that this is happened just before the earthquake struck in Morocco.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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A video showing a massive lightning striking on the ground is going viral on social media to claim that this happened moments before Morocco witnessed a devastating earthquake on 8 September.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

(Archives of similar claims can be seen here and here.)

What's the truth?: This video has been on the internet since 2020 which predates the recent earthquake.

  • Moreover, this visual is not real and is created using Computer-generated imagery (CGI) animation.

How do we know that this is old?: On performing a reverse image search of some of the keyframes of the video, we came across a Facebook post from 14 March 2021.

  • The video caption stated that this video is an artwork created by '@jayhideaway'.

The video can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

  • Taking a cue, we found a TikTok profile of '@jayhideaway' which carried the same viral video.

  • This video was shared on 1 May 2020 and the caption read, "First a pandemic and now ALIENS?!?!?!"

  • The profile also carried several other animated videos.

This video was shared on 1 May 2020.

(Source: TikTok/Screenshot)

  • The profile's bio carried a link to an OpenSea account, an online marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

  • OpenSea's bio specified that this account carries CGI artwork, it read, "Original Apocalyptic Video Art".

The account can be seen here.

(Source: OpenSea/Screenshot)

  • The account carried three videos for sale which included the viral video and it was titled 'The Visitors'.

  • This was priced at 35 ETH (ether) and was uploaded on 19 November 2021.

  • While performing a reverse image search, we found another post on X (formerly Twitter) carrying the same video.

  • This was shared on 10 June 2020 by an account named 'ufoofinterest.org' which posts information about UFOs.

  • The post stated that this video is fake and is created by Andy Fortenbacher.

  • He is a writer, director, and producer, according to his website.

  • Further, we checked Fortenbacher's social media pages but did not find the same viral video.

  • We have reached out to him for confirmation and the story will be updated once we receive a response.

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Conclusion: Clearly, this old and animated video of massive lightning is going viral to claim that this is happened just before the earthquake struck in Morocco.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)

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