California Aquarium Collapse Rumor Debunked – Here’s the Truth

Reports of a California aquarium collapse allegedly killing 50 people have been proven false. The rumor began after a video went viral on social media showing a massive aquarium shattering, causing destruction and fatalities, with claims that the incident took place in California.

The clip, posted on August 4, 2025, on an Instagram account, was widely shared with hashtags linking it to the supposed tragedy. However, international fact-checking organizations have confirmed that no such event occurred. The footage was, in fact, created using artificial intelligence (AI).

The same Instagram account has a history of posting similar AI-generated disaster videos, including fake clips of tsunamis, earthquakes, military plane crashes, and another aquarium collapse in Germany — none of which ever happened. Experts highlighted that the videos display telltale AI traits such as smooth editing, perfect camera angles, and unusually high-definition shots, resembling staged disaster scenes.

Fact-checkers also pointed out that if such a catastrophe had truly occurred in California, it would have made global headlines. No credible media outlet has reported the incident. This follows a similar wave of misinformation in July 2025, when AI-generated videos of a supposed tsunami in California circulated after an earthquake near Russia, later debunked by reliable sources.