Hurricane Melissa is the strongest to hit the Caribbean. The public, however, not only has to prepare for the hurricane but also brace themselves against fake content that could undermine the seriousness of the situation.
Viral TikTok Of Hurricane Melissa Shows Fake Shark Sightings
Hurricane Melissa has not only reminded the public to stay safe from the storm but also to stay aware of fake news circulating on social media. There are multiple videos showing sharks swimming on the streets of Jamaica amid the chaos brought by the storm – but all are fake.
One viral TikTok video shows shark-infested water. It appears that the sharks swam from the oceans and sought shelter in the pool.
'Ohh my God, the whole ocean is on the street. This is Jamaica right now, the water came all the way right up to the hotel,' a woman can be heard speaking on the video.
@romainetv2 Look what hurricane Melissa did to Jamaica! #shark #hurricane #jamaicatiktok
♬ original sound - romainetv2
According to the woman, 'the sea is pouring in' and 'the pool is gone.'
A similar TikTok video was also shared on Instagram. It also shows a shark swimming on the flooded roads of Jamaica. In the clip, a person can be heard saying, 'Oh my god, the ocean just came up onto the road. Everything is underwater.'
The person adds that the shark swam 'past the cars' after it disappeared off-screen.
Experts Warn Against Fake Viral TikTok Videos
Many have turned to using AI to create fake content for entertainment, and that includes the shark hoax videos. However, now is not the time to share such content, as Hurricane Melissa is serious.
Amy McGovern, a University of Oklahoma meteorology professor, warns against such content. The expert said that they were not as harmless as they appear.
'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,' McGovern said, per Mirror. 'Eventually, such fake content will lead to loss of life and property.'
Senator Dana Morris Dixon also shared the same sentiment. Jamaica's information minister acknowledged the fake content circulating on social media. She reportedly saw a lot of similar videos on WhatsApp and said, 'Many of them are fake.'
Dixon urged the public to 'please listen to the official channels.'
Hurricane Melissa: How AI-Generated Shark Videos and Fake Footage Are Sabotaging Disaster Reliefhttps://t.co/drq7qrt1xU pic.twitter.com/TEN5xUlrDE
— BelleNews (@BelleNews) October 28, 2025
Hurricane Melissa Update
Hurricane Melissa landed in Jamaica on Tuesday with maximum sustained winds of 185mph, making it the strongest storm to hit the Caribbean island. The historic Category 5 tropical storm forced hundreds of British tourists to stay inside their hotels.
Meanwhile, half a million in Cuba were evacuated before its arrival. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel reminded the public to remain in the evacuation sites and referred to Hurricane Melissa s 'the strongest ever to hit [its] national territory,' Mirror reported.
Hurricane Melissa has already claimed seven lives and left many individuals injured. It will make its landfall in Cuba on Wednesday.
