As heavy rains lashed Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday ahead of Cyclone Ockhi's landfall, the WhatsApp "fake news" machinery was at work, spreading rumours and creating panic among the people.
As heavy rains lashed Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday ahead of Cyclone Ockhi's landfall, the WhatsApp "fake news" machinery was at work, spreading rumours and creating panic among the people.
One "news" that is making the rounds on the messenger app in Mumbai is that Bandra-Worli Sea Link has collapsed. Many took to social media that they have received such message from their loved ones, warning them to stay away from the bridge.
Many shared that they have received messages on WhatsApp that the bridge has been closed after it was submerged under the water. A video of showing huge waves engulfing the Bandra-Worli Sea Link has been shared by many.
Many on social media, however, debunked the the video and the news.
Fake news debunker SMHoaxSlayer took to Twitter to state that the video which was being widely shared as huge waves engulfing the Bandra-Worli Sea Link was actually shot in Lakshadweep a few months ago.
Yogita Limaye, a BBC correspondent based in Mumbai, also tweeted that she passed the Bandra-Worli Sea Link twice in two hours and it was "not closed, not flooded and definitely has not been submerged by waves."
Besides this, there are many other rumours spreading around on social media to create panic. The fact is there are heavy rains but rail and road traffic is still working very much fine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Disaster Management Unit of BMC has said that the cyclone will have no impact on Mumbai City. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that minor damage will be caused to loose unsecured structures due to heavy rain and wind but people are advised not to panic in any case.
The NDMA said people when asked to evacuate, should move to a designate cyclone shelter with safety kit and store dry food and water in abundance, keep torch and hurricane lantern/emergency light handy and keep listening to battery operated radio for latest information.
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