As heavy rains and strong winds pounded the KZN coast yesterday (October 10), some of social media’s most notorious fake news posts spluttered back to life.
Along with the real-life drama unfolding in videos, pictures and warning messages, the trolls found a way to insert fake news into the mix.
Many of the flooding videos dated back to last year’s Johannesburg flooding, while others were not even from South Africa.
Also read: Massive storm hits Durban
Not just over-exaggerated hype, but deliberately misleading hoax messages (such as the one about ‘Hurricane Sifiso’ which did the rounds on WhatsApp during the storm) created further alarm and panic.
The WhatsApp message reads:
“WEATHER ALERT: Hurricane Sifiso to hit KZN, please keep in doors as this storm is classified as a category 3 storm. Heavy gale force winds predicted at 90km/h with Gusts of 120km/h reported by Weather ALERT SA. Storm expected to subside in 3-4 days, Avoid travelling in these conditions. Please be cautious people. FORWARD TO FRIENDS & FAMILY.”
Ironically, this message has been circulating on social media since early September, but when the weather looked like it was playing along, the message literally went viral in minutes.
It prompted the SA Weather Service to issue the following Tweet.
But that was not the worst… Stories began spreading that the bridge under construction on the N2 near Gateway had collapsed. This was another hoax message.
The WhatsApp message reads:
New bridge N2/M41 at Gateway starting to cave in, Could collapse. Emergency services closing off. Please avoid.
Then came the crowning glory of hoaxes – news that a second weather front, even bigger than the one that hit Durban, was on its way…
As you have no doubt guessed, this was another hoax message.
So no matter whether it is from a WhatsApp group or on Facebook, make sure you check the news on a reputable news site before sharing with your friends.
Remember that when you click, share, post or send, you are publishing an article to your friends, family and people who don’t know you from a bar of soap.
It is no joke when emergency services in the middle of an emergency have to take time out to verify if in fact what you have published is true.
The onus is on you to check your facts.
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