Doha, Qatar: Social media users are being urged to verify information before sharing, after a viral video and images of an elderly couple stranded in floodwaters, widely claimed to show victims of Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines, was found to be from a place in Mexico, not Cebu.

The images show an elderly man and woman clinging to each other atop a building surrounded by raging floodwaters. It spread rapidly on Facebook and TikTok, with captions describing them as“Filipino grandparents” rescued during the storm.

However, a reverse image search confirmed the clip was filmed in Poza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico, during severe flooding in October. The couple were identified by Mexican media as Hilario Reynosa and Elodia Reyes, which are both Filipino-sounding names.

Image: AFP

A screenshot of the false Facebook post on November 6 was marked with a red X by AFP news agency. The original video had been shared by AFP weeks earlier, on October 16, in an article titled“Viral Mexican 'grandparents' recount flood horror.”

Despite corrections, other social media pages, including in Qatar, reposted the same images, gaining thousands of reactions and comments from users who believed the footage was from the Philippines.

Speaking to The Peninsula, Filipino expat Michael, who first raised the issue among community groups, said:

“Just because the scene looks similar and the names sound Filipino doesn't mean it's true. Some people may share for engagement, while others just don't check facts. We need more honesty and research before reposting.”

Authorities and fact-checkers continue to remind the public to scrutinize viral content, especially during disasters, when misinformation can easily spread and mislead those seeking reliable updates.

Both Philippines and Mexico were hit by record rainfall and flooding. As of writing this story, Philippine authorities raised the death toll to 188, with 135 still missing.

The Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council announced that a total of 2,258,782 people, or 635,565 families, were affected by the typhoon.

But while the Philippines is yet to recover from Typhoon Kalmaegi, the country is bracing for another powerful storm "Fun Wang (Uwan)," which is expected to make landfall this weekend.

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