Fact Check: This startling video of lightning strike is NOT related to the Asani cyclone

Several social media users claim that a recent video of a lightning striking a tree shows the havoc created by Cyclone Asani. However, India Today AFWA has found that the video is neither recent nor from India. It was shot five years ago in Canada.

To the relief of many, Cyclone Asani weakened to a depression and left coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha without causing much damage. However, a video has gone viral on social media claiming to be a scene of havoc caused by it. In the video, a lightning bolt strikes a tree, causing its heavy branches to fall over the adjacent building with a loud sound.

Several social media users claimed that this incident happened in India during the recent Asani cyclone.

A Twitter user posted this video with the caption, “When lightning hits a tree let's after see this #CycloneAsani #Cyclone #AndhraPradesh #Odisha #WestBengal #Asani #TejRan #CycloneUpdate”.

India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the video is neither recent nor from India. It was shot five years ago in Canada.

We noticed that a person in a reply to the tweet had said that the video was not from India.

Using keywords like ‘lightning strike’ and ‘Canada’ along with the date filter on Google, we found a report by ‘The Daily Mail’ dated September 4, 2017. As per this report, the building over which the branches had fallen following the lightning strike was a Canadian hunting lodge. The lodge administration later confirmed that all the visitors were safe.