A massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Alaska on 16 July 2025 triggering a tsunami warning. Against this backdrop, an image of a stranded vehicle on a snow-covered damaged road went viral on social media. Sharing the image, users claimed that the image shows the destruction caused by the recent earthquake in Alaska.
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However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was misleading. The image is old. Here’s the fact check.
Fact Check
We started our investigation by conducting a reverse image search. This led us to a report published in the VOA News on 19 December 2018. The report contained the viral image with a caption, “FILE – A stranded vehicle lies on a collapsed roadway near the airport after an earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. Nov. 30, 2018.”
Taking this clue, we conducted a relevant keyword search which led us to a report published in the CBS News on 30 November 2018. The report contained an image similar to the viral one. The report read, “Back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.8 struck the Anchorage, Alaska area just before 8:30 a.m. local time Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted.
This vehicle was left stranded on a collapsed roadway near the airport after the earthquake.”
Other reports can be read here and here.
This makes it clear that the viral image is old and unrelated to the recent earthquake in Alaska.
Conclusion
From our investigation, we can say that the claim is misleading. The viral image is not from the recent earthquake in Alaska. The image is old. It shows a stranded vehicle on a collapsed road after back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.0 and 5.8 struck Anchorage, Alaska, on 30 November 2018.
Title:Old Image Of A Stranded Vehicle On A Collapsed Road In Alaska Going Viral As Recent.
Fact Check By: Debanjana BaishyaResult: Misleading
