Video of bus trapped in Indonesia flash flood is AI-generated
- Published on January 28, 2026 at 06:44
- 2 min read
- By AFP Indonesia
Parts of Indonesia's capital region experienced severe flooding in January 2026, but footage circulating on social media showing floodwaters inundating a passenger-filled bus was generated with AI tools. An analysis found several visual errors in the clip, while a spokesperson for the bus operator told AFP the video is a hoax.
The video appearing to show several clips filmed from within a bus as floodwaters seep into the vehicle was shared on TikTok on January 22, 2026.
The final clip shows the passengers in waist-deep water, with the bus also appearing to be stranded by the rising floodwaters.
"People are trapped inside the bus. Today's flooding in South Jakarta," reads its Indonesian-language caption, referring to one of the cities in the archipelago nation's capital region.
The video also spread on Instagram and Facebook as heavy rains in January caused floods in various areas of the Greater Jakarta region (archived link).
"Oh my God, please protect them all," one user who appeared to believe the clip was genuine commented on one of the posts.
Another wrote: "God, I hope there are no fatalities."
While several bus services in the capital were suspended, there were no official reports of buses and passengers being stranded in the manner shown in the circulating posts (archived link).
The head of public relations for TransJakarta -- the operator of public bus transportation in the capital -- told AFP over WhatsApp on January 27 that the video shared on social media is a "hoax".
A keyword search found the clip was previously uploaded on January 5 on TikTok, where the creator labelled it as having been AI-generated (archived link).
The account frequently posts AI-generated videos, including content used to promote products for sale.
AFP reached out to the user but no response was forthcoming.
Moreover, several visual errors indicate the footage is not authentic, such as the interior of the bus changing between the different clips. The chairs appear to change shape, and the layout and placement of handrails also differs.
People also appear to act unnaturally in the video, for example holding imaginary grab handles while standing in the floodwaters.
In the final clip in the video, the floodwaters also seem to pass through the bus windows.
An analysis of the video using The Verification Plugin, also known as InVID-WeVerify co-developed by AFP, found "very strong evidence" it was created using AI.
AFP has previously debunked other AI-powered misinformation.
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