Online Disinformation Exacerbates Spain Flood Disaster
Online disinformation following the floods in Spain has made a harrowing situation worse, hindering emergency services and exploiting residents' fear, anger and grief. Above, cars piled up after Spain’s devastating floods. False evacuation warnings, alternative emergency phone numbers, and misleading information caused confusion, unnecessary panic and added traffic for emergency responders, as more than 210 died and dozens are still missing. Photo by Jose Jordan
Barron’s / Agence France-Presse
The disinformation inundating social media during Spain's catastrophic floods threatened the crucial work of emergency services and exploited fear, anger and grief, an AFP investigation has found.
The European nation's worst floods in a generation have killed more than 210 people, left dozens missing and submerged entire towns in mud, particularly in the eastern Valencia region.
False messages multiplied on the web as torrential rains lashed Spain on October 29, with one targeting residents living near the Magro and Mijares rivers who saw an evacuation warning supposedly issued by the authorities.
Although officials warned locals to stay away from the riverbanks, they never asked them to leave their homes as the fake messages claimed.
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