Fact check: Viral video reuses old footage of tornado in Andover, Kansas

Isabella Fertel, USA TODAY
·3 min read
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The claim: Video shows recent tornado in Silver City, Mississippi

A March 26 Facebook post (direct link, archived link) features a video of a tornado destroying homes and power lines.

"Silver City, #Mississippi," reads the post's caption. "And this is just the beginning... a #tornado is coming over the city."

The post garnered more than 80 shares in one day. Another version of the claim is circulating on Twitter.

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Rating: False

The video shows a tornado in Kansas, not Mississippi, according to the person who recorded it. The video was shared by local and national news outlets in May 2022, which correctly identify the location of the twister.

Video shows tornado in Kansas, not Mississippi

Tornadoes and other severe weather devastated rural towns throughout the Mississippi Delta region in late March, leaving more than two dozen people dead.

But the footage shared in the Facebook post was taken more than six months prior – and more than 600 miles away from Silver City, Mississippi.

The video was originally taken on April 29, 2022, by Taylor Train, a resident of Andover, Kansas. Train captured the tornado as it destroyed houses in his neighborhood and approached his property.

Local ABC affiliate station KAKE shared Train's cellphone footage of the storm to its Facebook account on May 5, 2022.

"Check out this insane Andover tornado video from Taylor Train," reads the caption of the post. "His house was in the path of Friday's tornado and was heavily damaged."

KAKE reporter Jackson Overstreet interviewed Train about the viral footage and the extent of the storm's damage. Overstreet posted Train's video on his personal Twitter account on May 4, 2022, the day before the article published.

Kenterica Sardin, 23, looks on from her damaged home after a series of powerful storms and at least one tornado on March 25, 2023 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. At least 26 people have reportedly been killed with dozens more injured following devastating storms across western Mississippi.
Kenterica Sardin, 23, looks on from her damaged home after a series of powerful storms and at least one tornado on March 25, 2023 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. At least 26 people have reportedly been killed with dozens more injured following devastating storms across western Mississippi.

Other local and national news outlets correctly identified the location of the video, sharing Train's footage and description of the storm's toll on his home and community.

The tornado tore through the town of Andover, located about 10 miles east of Wichita, causing widespread destruction and leaving thousands of Kansans without power.

The twister had estimated peak winds of more than 150 miles per hour and injured three people, according to the National Weather Service.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment. They did not provide any evidence to back up the claim.

Reuters also debunked the mislabeled video.

Our sources:

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: 2022 Video shows tornado in Kansas, not 2023 Mississippi

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