A video allegedly showing a cloud sinking from the sky in Indonesia has been circulating on social media. The video depicts several men in matching uniforms running towards a white object falling from the sky. Let’s fact-check this claim.
Claim: Video of a cloud sinking/falling from the sky in Indonesia.
Fact: The white substance in the video is not an actual cloud falling from the sky. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Director confirmed that it is most likely a condensation of water vapor or gas created due to human activity and not a natural cloud. Therefore, the claim in the post is False.
To verify the viral claim, we conducted an internet search using relevant keywords to check if the media had reported this incident. This search led us to a news report by The Times of India about the incident.
According to the report, the incident took place in an industrial area in Indonesia. Local authorities concluded that the foam-like substance seen in the video was likely created due to the condensation of pollutants in the surrounding industrial and mining areas.
Further investigation through Indonesian local news reports (here, here, and here) confirmed the incident in the Morong Raya area of the Kalimantan province in Indonesia.
Reports from CNN Indonesia and VOI confirmed that the white mass was not a cloud but a result of water vapor or gas condensation due to human activity in the mining area.
The BMKG Director clarified that clouds do not fall to the ground in dense clumps as seen in the video, as they are made up of light particles that float in the atmosphere with air currents. Cloud particles generally evaporate before reaching the ground.
National Geographic explains that clouds are collections of water droplets in the Earth’s atmosphere, typically found at heights of 2000-12000 meters above the Earth’s surface. More information on clouds can be found here, here, and here.
In conclusion, the video showing a white mass is not a natural cloud falling from the sky but a result of water vapor or gas condensation. Visit Factly for the original story, republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective.
(This article is based on an original story by Factly and has been republished by NDTV from a syndicated feed. The content has been slightly modified for WordPress integration.)
