WHAT WAS CLAIMED
A video shows tsunamis and an earthquake hitting Hawaii.
OUR VERDICT
False. The footage shows unrelated weather events in other countries.
AAP FACTCHECK - A shaky video of large waves battering coastlines does not show supposed recent tsunamis and a major earthquake hitting Hawaii, despite claims online.
The compilation of clips actually shows various unrelated weather events, while a magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck just off the coast of Russia on July 30, 2025, rather than in Hawaiian waters.
The claim appears in a Facebook video, posted by a Papua New Guinea-based account, that features clips of high waves and severe flooding, with overlaid text reading "Major earthquake rattles Hawaii –Tsunami warning now in effect!".
The same video has also been shared in posts by other PNG-based accounts on Facebook and YouTube.
While it's true authorities in Hawaii did issue a tsunami warning last week, this was in response to the earthquake just off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
The advisory was later lifted by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
While larger-than-usual waves did hit the archipelago, they were less severe than expected and no major damage was recorded, CNN reported.
Reverse image searching key frames in the video reveals the compilation shows weather events in places including Hong Kong, Italy and the US state of Massachusetts.
The first clip showing high waves crashing into buildings can be traced back to a Hong Kong storm in 2018 that was reported at the time by CNN.
The exact location on Shek O Beach can be seen on Google Maps.
The second clip showing waves crashing over a wall (timestamp nine seconds) is actually from the port town of Maratea, Italy in 2018, matching a Getty Images video.
The third clip shows a coastal house (0:26) that matches footage of a storm in Scituate, Massachusetts in 2024, reported by The Boston Globe (0:40).
The fourth clip showing waves crashing up a sea wall (0:32) also matches The Boston Globe's video (0:28).
The railing seen in the video matches a promenade in Scituate.
The fifth clip in the Facebook video (0:40) also matches The Globe's Scituate footage (0:17) as well as waterfront properties in the area visible on Google Maps.
The next clip in the video (0:47) is taken from another Massachusetts storm in 2021 and flipped. Mirror-image footage can be seen in a report by CNN and uploaded to YouTube by Flash News.
The final segment shows a black SUV driving across a road (0:55), which is also visible in The Globe's 2024 Massachusetts video (0:35).
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