Heavy rains in southwest China caused confusion when a video claiming to show the collapse of a roof at an airport in Chongqing circulated widely on social media. In reality, the footage depicts a section of ceiling collapsing at the Paradise Walk shopping centre on July 8, 2025. The clip, which garnered over 3.3 million views on X, shows water cascading down as shoppers react to the sudden incident.
The misleading video was accompanied by a caption that inaccurately suggested it occurred at an airport. It read, “Airport roof crashed down in Chongquing (sic), China’s 3rd largest industrialized city.” The post included a controversial remark about India’s technological advancements, referencing comments by Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi about China’s progress.
As China faced a summer of extreme weather, the deluge in Chongqing resulted in significant disruptions. Reports indicated that the recent downpours forced the evacuation of 556 people in the city and triggered landslides in the nearby Sichuan province.
Clarification on the Incident
While the video was widely shared across various platforms—including Facebook and Threads—it does not depict an airport. A reverse image search using keyframes from the video led to its original posting on Weibo by the Chongqing-based Sanxiang Metropolis Daily on July 8. This original post confirmed that the ceiling collapse occurred at the B1 floor of the Paradise Walk shopping centre, as reported by netizens on social media.
The Paradise Walk shopping centre subsequently addressed the incident on its official Weibo page. The management stated that the roof collapse was a direct result of the heavy rainfall that day. Fortunately, they confirmed that there were no injuries and all shoppers were safely evacuated from the area.
The confusion surrounding the video highlights the challenges of misinformation in the digital age, particularly during events of severe weather. As the situation in Chongqing continues to develop, it serves as a reminder for the public to verify information before sharing it online.