False alarm: Viral image after earthquake in Chile turns out to be from a previous event

On the night of July 18, 2024, northern Chile was shaken by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter south of San Pedro de Atacama, as reported by the National Seismological Center (CSN) of the University of Chile. This event caused alarm among residents of the Antofagasta region and produced several effects in the area. However, an image that went viral on social media as a supposed result of this earthquake turned out to be inaccurate and actually from previous seismic events. The captured scene shows rocks of various sizes occupying a lane of an asphalt road and was used in posts reporting on the 2024 earthquake in Chile. However, upon conducting a reverse image search on Google, it was discovered that this scene had been previously used by Chilean media in 2022 to report on a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Antofagasta region, with its epicenter in Tocopilla. The image depicted material detachment on route 1 due to that event, not the 2024 earthquake. Although some media did mention that the image showed the effects of a previous earthquake in the Antofagasta region, none attributed its authorship nor specified the exact location to which it corresponded. Rockslides on various roads in the region were highlighted after the 2022 earthquake, and it was reported that teams from the Regional Road Directorate were deployed to clear the affected roads for use. Regarding the image showing two people removing rocks from a lane, no previous versions of it or details about its origin were found. This image was shared as a consequence of the recent 2024 earthquake, in which unfortunately one person died, according to sources like Diario Antofagasta, La Tercera, and CNN. However, similar to the previous case, the authorship and exact location of the capture were not cited. Following the July 2024 earthquake, the Ministry of Public Works of Chile reported road closures due to minor landslides, indicating that the earthquake had effects on the road infrastructure in the Antofagasta region. Despite San Pedro de Atacama and Tocopilla being distant, both cities were impacted by these seismic events. In summary, the image that circulated on social media as a consequence of the 2024 earthquake in Chile turned out to be inaccurate, as it belonged to a previous seismic event in the same region. It is crucial to verify the accuracy of information shared online, especially in emergency situations like natural disasters, to avoid the spread of false or confusing news that could cause unnecessary alarm among the population.