False warning about a 'super typhoon' causes panic in the Philippines

A video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times in online posts that claim the Philippine weather agency hoisted the highest storm warning in the country's main island due to a "super typhoon" in early October. However, the claim is false. The agency had not placed any area in the country under the highest storm warning in early October. The video shows its forecast on tropical cyclones that did not pack strength to be classified as "super typhoon".

The video has been viewed more than 800,000 times after it was shared on YouTube on October 9, 2021.

Image

Screenshot of a Youtube post taken on October 13, 2021

The video's Tagalog-language caption translates as: "LUZON IS NOW UNDER SIGNAL NO. 5! TYPHOON NANDO IS NOW A SUPER TYPHOON!"

It circulated online following reports that the tropical cyclones locally known as "Nando" and "Maring" would merge.

"Signal Number 5" is the highest warning hoisted by the Philippine weather bureau that an impending tropical cyclone could have "very heavy to widespread damage" and pack winds above 220 kilometers per hour.

Tropical cyclones that pack winds above 220 kilometers per hour are also classified as "super typhoon".

"Luzon" is the country's main island.

Identical videos were also shared alongside a similar claim on YouTube here and here; and on Facebook here, here, here and here.

These posts appeared to have caused panic among some social media users.

"Yolanda was a super typhoon too. Oh no. My God, please protect us all," one commented.

"Yolanda" is the local name of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 7,000 in central Philippines in 2013.

But the claim is false.

A review of the storm issuances posted on the website of Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) -- the country's weather agency --  found that it did not hoist "Signal Number 5" in Luzon in October during tropical cyclones "Nando" or "Maring".

Keyword searches found the video in the misleading posts was in fact taken from this PAGASA forecast issued on October 9.

The agency forecast that "Nando" and "Maring" would merge but did not state they would become a "super typhoon".

The weather agency said the tropical cyclone Maring merged with Nando but did not intensify into a super typhoon.

A representative for PAGASA confirmed to AFP the agency's video had been misleadingly shared alongside a false claim.

"Maring left the country as a severe tropical storm, not a super typhoon," the representative told AFP on October 13.

At least 19 people have died due to the Maring, internationally known as "Kompasu", that triggered landslides and flash floods across the Philippines, AFP reported.