Yahoo Movies Fact check: Viral video reuses old footage of tornado in Andover, Kansas
The claim: Video shows recent tornado in Silver City, Mississippi
A March 26 Facebook post (direct link, archived link) features a video of a tornado destroying homes and power lines.
"Silver City, #Mississippi," reads the post's caption. "And this is just the beginning... a #tornado is coming over the city."
The post garnered more than 80 shares in one day. Another version of the claim is circulating on Twitter.
Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks
Rating: False
The video shows a tornado in Kansas, not Mississippi, according to the person who recorded it. The video was shared by local and national news outlets in May 2022, which correctly identify the location of the twister.
Video shows tornado in Kansas, not Mississippi
Tornadoes and other severe weather devastated rural towns throughout the Mississippi Delta region in late March, leaving more than two dozen people dead.
But the footage shared in the Facebook post was taken more than six months prior – and more than 600 miles away from Silver City, Mississippi.
The video was originally taken on April 29, 2022, by Taylor Train, a resident of Andover, Kansas. Train captured the tornado as it destroyed houses in his neighborhood and approached his property.
Local ABC affiliate station KAKE shared Train's cellphone footage of the storm to its Facebook account on May 5, 2022.
"Check out this insane Andover tornado video from Taylor Train," reads the caption of the post. "His house was in the path of Friday's tornado and was heavily damaged."
KAKE reporter Jackson Overstreet interviewed Train about the viral footage and the extent of the storm's damage. Overstreet posted Train's video on his personal Twitter account on May 4, 2022, the day before the article published.
Other local and national news outlets correctly identified the location of the video, sharing Train's footage and description of the storm's toll on his home and community.
The tornado tore through the town of Andover, located about 10 miles east of Wichita, causing widespread destruction and leaving thousands of Kansans without power.
The twister had estimated peak winds of more than 150 miles per hour and injured three people, according to the National Weather Service.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment. They did not provide any evidence to back up the claim.
Reuters also debunked the mislabeled video.
Our sources:
USA TODAY, March 26, 'Wiped off the map': South hit by more severe weather after tornadoes leave 26 dead: Updates
USA TODAY, May 1, 2022, Tornado, severe storms damage homes and buildings near Wichita, Kansas
Jackson Overstreet, May 4, 2022, Twitter post
KAKE News, May 5, 2022, Facebook post
KAKE News, May 4, 2022, 'It's the power of doing good that has made this possible': Andover man raises money for good Samaritan who saved his life
National Weather Service, accessed March 27, April 29th 2022 Tornadoes - including the Andover Tornado
Reuters, March 27, Fact Check-Clip of leveled houses was not filmed during Mississippi tornado in March 2023
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: 2022 Video shows tornado in Kansas, not 2023 Mississippi
