Danielle Husband
While Houston’s two airports remain closed until Wednesday, residents can rest assured that photos showing submerged planes on the tarmac are just a hoax.
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RELATED: Houston’s airports will remain closed until Wednesday
The photo, which has been making the rounds on social media, is not only a Harvey fake — it’s also not real.
Photo of planes floating on flooded tarmac at Houston airport is a HOAX https://t.co/uT2QpE5KNJ
— Algis Trakimas (@AlgisTrakimas) August 29, 2017
The image was created in 2013 by Climate Central, an independent nonprofit that is researching climate change. Its purpose is to show what La Guardia airport in New York City could look like if sea levels rise by 25 feet, which could occur by 2100.
The mock-up was included in an article published back in June 2013 as a warning about rising sea levels.
RELATED: Harvey aftermath has Houston residents questioning if “hoax” claims were true
When the photo hit social media during now-Tropical Storm Harvey, people accepted it as true, believing that it showed one of Houston’s two airports. Even breaking news outlet @BreakingNLive thought the photo was real and shared it on their account.
The site has since deleted the photo, which has been verified to be a hoax.
