Weather watchers denied claims of a super typhoon as strong as “Yolanda” that may hit the Philippines this month.
Weather enthusiast Matthew Cuyugan said that the circulating Facebook post about a violent tropical cyclone that might affect the country this month was “fake and misleading.”
He also noted that the post has reached thousands of likes and shares already.
Annyeong po! There’s a circulating post in Facebook stated that a new storm with the same intensity as Yolanda might affect our country this month. This is clearly FAKE and MISLEADING.
The post has already reached 1.9K likes and 13.2K shares.
KINDLY REPORT PO:… pic.twitter.com/4JRFCapNxK
— Matthew Cuyugan (@mscuyugan) July 18, 2024
ABS-CBN resident meteorologist Ariel Rojas, who also used to work for the state weather bureau, likewise called the post “fake news” and told the public to get their weather news from reliable sources.
“There is no Super Typhoon Lakas,” he said on social media, sharing a screengrab of the Facebook post.
FAKE NEWS: There is no Super Typhoon Lakas
Please help report this post and page: https://t.co/5FtzPkViOx
The link on the post also directs to an online shopping page.
Please only get your weather info from reliable sources @dost_pagasa @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/qkvgg7GSZG
— Ariel Rojas (@arielrojasPH) July 18, 2024
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also labeled the post as “fake.”
“Isang ang post ang kumakalat tungkol sa diumano’y mala-Yolanda na bagyo na tatama sa bansa. Iwasan ang PANINIWALA at PAG-SHARE ng impormasyon mula sa mga hindi kumpirmado at hindi reliable na sources,” it said.
PAGASA also shared the links to its official website, X (formerly Twitter) platform, and its YouTube channel for awareness.
The Department of Interior and Local Government Region IV-A also raised awareness about the fake post, saying that it used an old satellite image of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name “Haiyan”).
“Sinasabi ng page na ito na ang nasabing bagyo ay maihahambing sa lakas ng Super Typhoon Yolanda noong 2013. Ito ay false information. Ang larawang ginamit sa nasabing post ay ang satellite image ng Bagyong Yolanda,” the DILG Region IV-A said.
“Samantala, ang link na naka-attatch naman ay isang affiliate link na dumederetso sa isang online shopping website,” it added.
“Pinapaalalahanan ang lahat na maging mapanuri at ugaliing mag #FACTCHECK sa mga posts na nababasa online,” the agency said.
The Facebook page “Metro Headlines” on July 18 posted a social media card about a tropical cyclone as strong as “Yolanda” that may hit the country.
It claimed that the Philippines this month may experience a weather disturbance as strong as the 2013 super typhoon, which was one of the most powerful to hit the country.
The page alleged that “Super Typhoon Lakas” has hit the eastern part of the Philippines and will supposedly continue to cause heavy rainfall and wind gusts of up to 250 kph.
It also shared a link which it claimed was the list of affected areas.
Clicking the link leads to an online shopping platform instead.
In reality, there are two low pressure areas (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
According to PAGASA’s 4 a.m. weather forecast on July 19, the first LPA was spotted some 135 kilometers west-southwest of Calapan, Occidental Mindoro.
Meanwhile, the second LPA was located 880 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.
PAGASA said the first LPA will continue bringing rain to some parts of the country on Friday.
Currently, neither has strengthened to the tropical depression category, the lowest classification of tropical cyclones.
