Netizens posted an old video of what they claim was a “small tsunami” in California as wildfires continue to threaten lives and property. This is false. The footage shows rogue waves, not a tsunami, slamming into a beach in California in December 2023.
On Jan. 13, a 55-second video started circulating on Facebook (FB) showing people scrambling for safety as rogue waves flooded the shores. It carried the text:
“Isang maliit na tsunami sa California. Di pa nga nahupa ‘yung apoy (A small tsunami in California. The fires have not even died down yet.”
The actual video of rogue waves, not a tsunami, was taken at Pierpont Beach Dec. 28, 2023 and uploaded by Instagram user Colin Hoag. The caption read:
“I captured this epic video of a rogue wave crashing through a crowd of people at Pierpont Beach in Ventura, California on December 28, 2023. #roguewave #ventura #colinhoag #valiomadre.”
Several news outlets also carried Hoag’s clip on their reports about the rogue waves, caused by a series of powerful storms, that hit the California coastline.
According to the National Geographic, rogue waves are unusually large waves that are unrelated to a storm system or tsunami. Tsunamis, on the other hand, are caused by earthquakes and undersea volcanic eruptions.
There are no reports of tsunami warnings issued in California since the January wildfires started.
The false video started circulating six days after the wildfires ignited in the neighborhoods of Palisades, Eaton and Hurst in Los Angeles leaving 27 people dead.
VERA Files has debunked other mis- and disinformation related to the California wildfires.
At least three copies uploaded by three FB users collectively garnered 62,873 reactions, 7,652 comments, 26,874 shares and 6,552,500 views.
