A viral video showing a Costco store shaking during an earthquake was recorded in April 2016 [1], not during a current event.
The clarification is necessary because the footage has recently recirculated with claims that it depicts a 2026 earthquake. Misidentifying archival footage as current news can cause unnecessary public alarm and spread misinformation during potential crises.
The footage was captured at a Costco location in Kumamoto Prefecture, located on the southern Kyushu island of Japan [1]. The video shows the interior of the warehouse store reacting to the seismic activity of the Kumamoto earthquake that occurred in April 2016 [1].
CBC News said the clip was part of a fact-checking effort to address the timeline of the recording [1]. The report confirms the video was recorded in 2016 [1] and is not a reflection of any event occurring this month.
Digital forensics and archive comparisons allow news organizations to verify the origin of such clips. In this instance, the visual evidence and historical records of the Kumamoto earthquake align with the original 2016 date [1]. This process prevents the amplification of false reports that often surface on social media platforms during periods of geological instability in the region.
“The video was recorded in 2016”
The recirculation of old disaster footage as current news highlights the ongoing challenge of digital misinformation. By anchoring viral clips to specific historical events, such as the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, fact-checkers mitigate the risk of public panic and ensure that emergency responses are based on real-time data rather than recycled media.
