Fictitious AI videos falsely depicting the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa are circulating, suggesting that sharks are roaming the streets of Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa, classified as a Category 5 storm, is currently battering Jamaica and is anticipated to cause extensive destruction. This marks the most potent storm to hit the island in its recorded history of 174 years. The Jamaican government has made comprehensive preparations, resulting in sparsely populated streets in the capital city of Kingston.
The spread of fabricated shark images online has added to the anxiety among residents of the island. Various artificially generated videos have emerged, portraying sharks navigating floodwaters.
A number of these deceptive clips shared on social media bear the watermark of OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora, while others lack clear indicators of their inauthenticity.
Senator Dana Morris Dixon, the Information Minister of Jamaica, has been actively participating in press briefings to deliver accurate updates about the storm. She emphasized the prevalence of fake videos circulating on WhatsApp and urged the public to rely on official sources for information.
Apart from the shark visuals, there have been other alarming videos showing severe flooding and individuals fleeing from waves.
A meteorology professor from the University of Oklahoma has cautioned about the risks associated with fake imagery. Professor Amy McGovern highlighted the potential consequences of such misleading content, emphasizing the importance of heeding official guidance to mitigate harm.
Hurricane Melissa, one of the most formidable hurricanes in history, made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope and is projected to exit around St. Ann parish in the north before advancing towards Cuba.
Reports of landslides, fallen trees, and widespread power outages were documented prior to Melissa’s arrival, with authorities in Jamaica warning that the recovery and damage evaluation process would be protracted. Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica emphasized the vulnerability of the region’s infrastructure to a Category 5 storm and underscored the urgency of the recovery efforts ahead.