Online videos circulating on social media falsely claim to show an earthquake occurring in Eldoret, Kenya [1], [2].
These clips represent a targeted effort to spread misinformation through digital manipulation. Because seismic events can cause widespread panic and infrastructure failure, the rapid spread of fabricated disaster footage poses a risk to public order and safety.
The videos use visual effects and dramatic audio to simulate the appearance of a natural disaster [1], [2]. Despite the realistic nature of the effects, no real seismic event occurred in the region [1], [2].
Digital analysts said that the content was specifically created to incite fear among residents and viewers [1], [2]. The footage does not originate from any verified geological monitoring agency, and it relies on simulated imagery to deceive the public [1], [2].
Local authorities said the public should ignore the fearmongering content and rely on official sources for emergency alerts [1], [2]. The prevalence of such hoaxes highlights the ongoing challenge of verifying user-generated content during perceived crises [1], [2].
“No real seismic event occurred.”
The emergence of high-quality simulated disaster footage demonstrates the growing threat of 'synthetic misinformation.' When visual effects are used to mimic natural disasters, it can erode trust in legitimate emergency warnings and complicate the efforts of official agencies to maintain public calm during actual crises.
