A video has been shared on social media showing large hailstones falling from the sky during heavy rainfall. Several shops and cars appear to be damaged due to the hailstorm. Users are sharing this video with the claim that the incident took place in Maharashtra.
Sharing the video, a user named Arun Yadav Kosli wrote, “Heavy hailstorm in Maharashtra.
Fact Check:
The DFRAC team investigated the viral video and found that the claim of large-sized hailstones falling in Maharashtra is false. The video is AI-generated. During the investigation, we found several indicators commonly associated with AI-generated videos. Upon closely examining the footage, we noticed that a vegetable shop appears to be damaged by the falling giant hailstones. However, the text written on its signboard is neither in Hindi nor Marathi. Such distorted or nonsensical text on signboards is a common characteristic of AI-generated content. Furthermore, we observed that the car shown as damaged by the giant hailstones has a number plate containing only three digits, whereas vehicle registration numbers in India typically contain four digits.
Additionally, the recordings captured from multiple angles raise further suspicion. In a dangerous situation involving hailstones of such enormous size, it would be highly unlikely for a person to make such organized and multi-directional recordings. For instance, in the final part of the video, the camera appears to be placed on the ground in the middle of the road, recording the sky. In such extreme conditions, this kind of stable and deliberately planned recording seems unnatural and raises serious questions about the authenticity of the video. As part of our investigation, we also searched Google using keywords related to large hailstones falling in Maharashtra. However, we found no news reports covering any such incident.
For further verification, our team consulted AI expert Mayank Sharma. According to him, several aspects of the video strongly suggest that it is AI-generated. He explained that the size of the hailstones, their speed, and the way they react upon impact do not align with natural physical laws. He also noted that the camera movements and the footage captured from different angles appear unusual. The calm and systematic manner in which the scenes were recorded from multiple viewpoints during a supposed hailstorm of such magnitude is inconsistent with real-life conditions.
Conclusion:
The DFRAC fact-check clearly establishes that the claim is false. The viral video does not show a real incident of large hailstones falling in Maharashtra; rather, it is an AI-generated video.
