AI-Generated Shark Videos Spread Misinformation as Hurricane Melissa Batters Jamaica

Fake AI-generated videos showing sharks swimming through flooded streets have begun circulating on social media as Hurricane Melissa, a devastating Category 5 storm, pummels Jamaica with catastrophic force.

Jamaican authorities are now urgently warning citizens to disregard these fabricated images and to rely solely on official information channels as the island faces the most powerful hurricane in its recorded history.

“I am in so many WhatsApp groups, and I see all of these videos coming. Many of them are fake,” said Senator Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s information minister, during a press conference aimed at providing accurate storm information. “We urge you to please listen to the official channels.”

The hurricane, which made landfall Wednesday near New Hope in southwestern Jamaica, is tracking to exit around St. Ann parish in the north. With sustained winds of 185 mph, Melissa has earned the grim distinction of being the strongest storm to strike Jamaica since meteorological recordkeeping began 174 years ago.

Beyond the shark videos, other AI-generated clips purporting to show extreme flooding and people fleeing massive waves have also gained traction online. Some of these fabricated videos bear the watermark of OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora, while others provide no indication that they are artificially created, making them particularly dangerous for public consumption.

Meteorology experts have expressed serious concerns about the circulation of such false imagery. “This storm is a huge storm that will likely cause catastrophic damage, and fake content undermines the seriousness of the message from the government to be prepared,” warned Professor Amy McGovern from the University of Oklahoma. “Eventually such fake content will lead to loss of life and property.”

The spread of misinformation comes at a critical time when accurate information is vital for public safety. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the threat, stating bluntly on Monday: “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”

Even before full landfall, the island had already begun experiencing landslides, fallen trees, and widespread power outages. Officials have indicated that damage assessment and cleanup operations will be significantly hampered by the storm’s intensity.

The Jamaican government has emphasized that it has taken all possible preparatory measures ahead of the hurricane’s arrival. Streets in Kingston, the nation’s capital, have been largely deserted as residents shelter from the extreme conditions.

After crossing Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is forecast to continue on a path toward Cuba, potentially bringing similar devastating conditions there. The storm represents part of an increasingly concerning trend of more powerful hurricanes forming in the Caribbean and Atlantic regions, which many climate scientists attribute to warming ocean temperatures.

Weather experts are also monitoring potential impacts further afield, with some models suggesting the remnants of the system could eventually affect weather patterns in the United Kingdom after crossing the Atlantic.

As rescue and recovery efforts prepare to launch once conditions permit, authorities continue to emphasize the importance of relying on verified information sources and official government communications rather than unverified social media content during this critical emergency situation.