A video circulating on social media shows a man falling into the water and being swept away by a flood. It is being claimed that the video depicts a man ending his life in Kerala after losing his family and home during the 2024 Wayanad landslides. The video was sent to our WhatsApp Tipline (+91 92470 52470) for verification. Let’s examine the validity of this claim.
Claim: A man ended his life in Kerala by jumping into the water after losing his home and family in the 2024 Wayanad landslides.
Fact: The incident occurred on 30 June 2024, in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, Philippines. The video captures Ramil Dulay, a local resident who was reportedly intoxicated, falling into floodwaters and being swept away. His body was recovered on 03 July 2024. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led us to the full-length version, which was uploaded on the Facebook Page of the Philippines-based radio station ‘DYHP RMN CEBU’ on 01 July 2024. According to the description, the incident occurred on 30 June 2024, in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, Philippines. The video shows a 47-year-old man, identified as Ramil Dulay, a local resident, being swept away by the strong currents of the Langan River.
Further research using relevant keywords uncovered several local media reports (here, here and here) quoting statements from the local authorities and Ramil Dulay’s family members. According to them, Ramil Dulay, who was reportedly intoxicated, lost his balance and fell into the stream. After a three-day search operation, his body was found on 03 July 2024.
Based on this evidence, it is clear that the viral video shows an incident from the Philippines and is unrelated to the 2024 Wayanad landslides that occurred on 30 July 2024.
To sum up, an unrelated video from the Philippines was shared as a man ending his life after losing his family in the 2024 Wayanad landslides.
