Fact Check: Jammu and Kashmir landslide sweeps houses away? No, video is from Norway
A video of a landslide has been circulating online, claiming it is from Jammu and Kashmir in 2025.
By Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:The video shows a landslide sweeping homes into a water body in Jammu and Kashmir after the heavy rains in 2025.
Fact:The claim is false. The video shows a landslide in Norway 2020.
Hyderabad: Jammu and Kashmir has been significantly affected by heavy rain this week, with record-breaking downpours leading to landslides, flash floods, widespread disruption and damage.
In this context, a video showing an enormous piece of land with houses and trees on it sliding and merging with a large water body has gone viral. Those sharing the video claim it is from Jammu and Kashmir during the recent rains.
An X user shared the video with the caption, “Have you ever seen a mountain moving? See it today..! This view is of Jammu.”
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false as the video shows a landslide in Norway in 2020.
A reverse image search of the clip’s keyframes led us to a longer version of the video featured in a blog published on June 4, 2020, on the AGU Blogosphere. The blog is authored by Dave Petley, a geoscientist known for documenting and analysing landslide events globally.
According to the blog, the video captures the Alta quick clay landslide in Norway on June 3, 2020, which swept several houses into the sea following heavy rainfall and tension cracks. The blog notes that Jan Egil Bakkedal, the owner of one of the houses, recorded the event. He had observed the cracks downslope from his cabin but decided to stay overnight before evacuating as the landslide began.
We also found identical visuals in a video published by The Telegraph on June 5, 2020, titled ‘Landslide sweeps Norway homes into the sea.’
According to the media outlet, eight houses were swept into the sea in the Norwegian Arctic following a powerful landslide near the town of Alta.
The report mentioned that the landslide was filmed by resident Jan Egil Bakkedal, who said he ran for his life when he realised what was happening. One of the houses that was lost belonged to him. Police had said that the landslide in the village of Kraakneset measured between 650 and 800 meters wide (2,145-2,640 feet) and up to 40 meters (132 feet) high.
We also found the same video published by Indian media outlets, including India TV and Amar Ujala, in 2020, reporting on a landslide in Norway.
Therefore, we conclude that the video shows a landslide in Norway in 2020. The claim is false.
