Fact Check: AI-Generated Video Falsely Claims to Show Hurricane Melissa
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact on Cuba and its trajectory toward the Bahamas, a video circulated widely on social media, promising awe-inspiring views of the storm’s eye from inside a plane. However, FactCheck by Annahar has confirmed that the video is not authentic, but rather, a product of artificial intelligence.
The Deceptive Video
The video, shared across various platforms, including accounts in multiple languages, presented itself as footage captured from inside a plane flying through the eye of Hurricane Melissa. This false claim emerged amidst the aftermath of the storm, which, as of Wednesday, October 29, 2025, had already claimed at least 50 lives, including 30 in Haiti and 19 in Jamaica, according to Agence France-Presse. The storm’s impact was particularly severe in eastern Cuba, where residents began clearing debris and fallen trees after Melissa’s passage.
The Truth Behind the Footage
A detailed investigation by FactCheck revealed the video’s origins. By analyzing the footage, they traced it back to a post on the Earth Impacts account on TikTok, dated October 26, 2025. The account, which describes itself as being curious about AI disasters, explicitly stated that the footage was generated using AI, a simulation created for a hypothetical scenario. The account also posed a rhetorical question: “Is it safe for us to fly this close?”
The Impact and Aftermath
Hurricane Melissa, categorized as the strongest to hit land in 90 years, caused widespread destruction. In Santiago de Cuba, the second-largest city in the country, residents worked together to clean the streets. Some houses’ walls collapsed, and corrugated iron roofs were damaged due to strong winds. The city experienced power outages, and several electricity poles fell. Nearby rivers overflowed, with water levels reaching waist height in certain areas. The hurricane, with winds reaching 155 kilometers per hour, continues to move along the east coast of Cuba, bringing heavy rainfall, with forecasts of up to 635 millimeters in mountainous regions, which could cause catastrophic flash floods and landslides. The storm is heading towards the Bahamas and is expected to reach Bermuda by Thursday evening.
In conclusion, the video purporting to show the eye of Hurricane Melissa from inside a plane is a fabrication. It serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information, especially during times of crisis when misinformation can spread rapidly.
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