A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early on July 30, 2025, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific region.

Although no fatalities have been reported, it is considered one of the strongest earthquakes in decades. Tsunami warnings were issued for countries including Japan, Russia, Hawaii, Alaska, California, Canada, Pacific Islands, and parts of Latin America. In Russia, sea waves as high as 4 meters were recorded, while other areas mostly experienced waves below 1.2 meters.

Following the quake, a wave of social media posts has flooded platforms, with users sharing dramatic videos claiming to show the earthquake’s impact. However, FactSeeker has verified several of these videos and found them to be misleading. While the footage is real, it does not relate to the current earthquake and has been taken from past disasters.

Examples of Misleading Videos:

Wrong Location and Date
A video posted on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that a tsunami threat was issued for Australia after an 8.3-magnitude earthquake near Kamchatka. In reality, the video is from the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025.

Link- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH3p88_CNJM/

Misused Footage of Beluga Whales
A post circulating online shows beluga whales washed ashore in Kamchatka, implying it was a sign of the earthquake. However, the video is from 2023 and shows Russian fishermen rescuing stranded whales. It is unrelated to the recent quake.

Link- https://www.newsweek.com/beluga-whales-stranded-beach-rescued-fishermen-1819950

Old Tsunami Footage from Greenland
A video shared with claims of an 8.7-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Russia is actually from the 2017 tsunami event in Greenland.

Link- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFzXB2dKgcU

2018 Indonesia Tsunami Clip Recycled
Another widely circulated video claims to show tsunami waves following the recent quake, but the footage is from the 2018 tsunami in Indonesia.

FactSeeker emphasizes that while these videos are from real events, they are being taken out of context and linked falsely to the Kamchatka earthquake. Sharing such content without proper verification can mislead the public and cause unnecessary panic.

We urge everyone to rely on trusted news sources and official updates, and to think twice before sharing dramatic content online, especially during emergencies.