A 2012 video showing a controlled explosion by a Finnish water engineering company is being shared with the false claim that it shows a bolt of lightning strike a river.
The clip is being shared with the caption which when translated reads, "If you have not seen the wonderful sight of lightning falling in a river, then see it."
(Translated from Hindi - किसी नदी में बिजली गिरने का अद्भुत दृश्य आपने नही देखा होगा तो देखिये)
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Viral on Facebook
On searching with the same caption on Facebook, we found that the video is being shared with the false claim.
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FACT-CHECK
Slowing down the video shows the lightning does not appear to originate from the sky but from the hill touching the river. Even the impact of the explosion is seen side by side on the ground which indicates it is not a bolt of lightning.
We then broke the viral clip into key-frames and performed a reverse image search which search results showed that the clip is from 2012, and is a controlled explosion by Finnish water engineering company Rannikon Merityö.
The same clip was uploaded by the company on its official YouTube channel in December 2012, with the caption "Porapaalutusta, osa 3: Räjäytys" which translates to Drilling rig, part 3: Blasting. The description states, "In this video, we deepen the waterway."
The same clip is also on the company's website under 'Louhinta' or Mining. (Read here)
In its explanation about underwater mining and blasting which when translated it explains, "Underwater mining is used to rehabilitate beaches and waterways and to establish sea signs. In addition, the dredging, construction and maintenance of waterways will be carried out through excavation and blasting work. Excavation is carried out by placing an underwater special explosive in the boreholes, which is immersed in the holes drilled in the rock."
On viewing the clip in slow motion, we can spot that what is being termed as a bolt of lightning is actually a controlled explosion. On freezing the frame seconds before the explosion we can spot that the blast (red) seems to come from beneath the surface.
The same clip has been viral since 2017 and was previously fact-checked by Snopes in August 2017.
