Claim: A video shows a pedestrian falling into an open-faced manhole while a reporter broadcasts live from an area in Karachi during rainfall.
Fact: The video is AI-generated. Visual and audio inconsistencies confirm that it does not represent a real event.
A video shared online shows a female reporter standing on a street lined with shops as it rains. She says, “Aaj Karachi mein bohat tez brish hui hai, aap dekh saktay hain road pnni se bhara hua hai.” [It has rained heavily in Karachi today, as you can see, the road is filled with water.]
As she speaks, a pedestrian behind her falls into an open-faced manhole.
Soch Fact Check recently debunked a slew of monsoon-related misinformation and disinformation, where AI-generated content falsely depicts accidents in areas like Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Swat.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check questioned the authenticity of the viral video as it did not appear to originate from any credible local news outlet. A reverse-image search of the logo in the top-right corner did not yield any results. Additionally, if an incident of this nature was reported live, it would have likely made mainstream headlines.
Upon closer inspection, we observed a “Veo” watermark in the bottom-right corner of the video. Veo is an AI-powered sports camera and analytics platform that uses advanced software to automatically record and analyse sports events. The presence of this watermark suggests the video may have been created or manipulated using AI tools, casting further doubt on its authenticity.
The reporter’s incorrect Urdu pronunciation of words like baarish [rain] and paani [water] hints at AI voice synthesis. The unnatural audio quality also stands out: where one would typically expect ambient noise from a bustling crowd or passing vehicles, the video features only a static background sound, presumably of the rain.
What makes the video especially implausible is the reaction, or lack thereof, of bystanders. Despite the presence of several people, no one reacts when the pedestrian falls into the manhole, which would be highly unusual in a real-world scenario. Even more suspicious is the reporter’s exaggerated facial reaction as her jaw drops after the fall, even though she does not glance in his direction.
These inconsistencies strongly suggest that the video is AI-generated and does not depict a real incident.
Virality
The video was shared here (archive) and here (archive) on Facebook.
On Instagram, it was shared here (archive).
It was also shared here on TikTok.
Conclusion: The viral video is likely AI-generated. Multiple visual and audio inconsistencies indicate that it does not depict a real-world event.
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Background image in cover photo: Geo.Tv
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