On October 4, 2023, heavy rains in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim triggered flash floods, resulting in at least 74 people dead. The Lachen Valley, specifically the Teesta River, experienced flooding due to continuous heavy rainfall in the northern part of Sikkim.
The aftermath of the floods caused significant damage to villages and towns throughout the Himalayan state.
In the wake of the October 4 flood, social media users shared various videos and photos purporting to depict the consequences of the disaster.
On October 6, a TikTok user with the handle @dilvakta_maharjan posted a status accompanied by a video, stating, “The unbearably damaged and tragic scene caused by the flash flood in Sikkim. May the thirty-three crore gods and goddesses protect you.” The video, shot near an electrical transformer, showed houses being swept away by landslides, accompanied by a person’s voice.
Despite the TikTok user having 1613 followers, the video garnered over 200,000 views on the platform.
Nepal Check conducted a fact-check on the video, where the user claims it shows the floods in the Indian state of Sikkim on October 4.
To verify the video’s authenticity, we took screenshots and performed a reverse image search on Google. Our investigation revealed that the video was published on July 5, 2021. It was posted by The Hindustan Times, an Indian news outlet, which reported a landslide in Atami, a Japanese city. The landslide left three people dead and 20 people missing. Nikkei Asia also covered the news of the landslide.
Therefore, the video depicts the landslide in Japan on July 5, 2021, not the floods in Sikkim around three months ago.
| Claim | Claimed by | Nepal Check Verdict |
| Video shows floods in Sikkim | TikTok users | False |
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