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Photo shows landslide in El Salvador in 2001, not India in 2024

Photo shows landslide in El Salvador in 2001, not India in 2024

By Grazia British

Culture

<span>Screenshot of the false post taken on August 2, 2024.</span>

Screenshot of the false post taken on August 2, 2024.

The picture was also shared with similar captions on social media platform X and Facebook.

However, a Google reverse image search found it in fact showed a landslide following an earthquake in El Salvador more than two decades ago.

The Associated Press (AP) news agency published the same picture on January 14, 2001 (archived link).

"A landslide cuts a swath of destruction through the town of Santa Tecla near San Salvador, El Salvador Saturday, Jan. 13, 2001 following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake that caused widespread damage across El Salvador," its caption partly read.

The earthquake killed about 700 people, according to official figures.

Below is a screenshot comparison of the picture as seen in the false posts (left) and as published by the AP (right):

<span>Screenshot comparison between photo in the false post (left) and photo available on the AP website (right)</span>

An AFP photographer also took a picture of the landslide from another angle on January 16, 2001.

Below is a screenshot comparison of the picture shared with false claims (left) and the AFP photo of the same location (right):

<span>Screenshot comparison of the picture shared with false claims (left) and the AFP photo of the same location (right) with similar features highlighted by AFP</span>

Other outlets, such as the BBC News and The Guardian, have published similar pictures showing the El Salvador landslide (archived link here and here).

Originally published by yahoo.com. Syndicated material does not necessarily reflect the views of Grazia British.

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Photo shows landslide in El Salvador in 2001, not India in 2024 | Grazia British