IN SHORT: Some social media users claim that this photo shows journalist Larry Madowo dramatically reporting on floods in Kenya in 2024. However, it depicts flooding in another African country in 2022.
Kenya has been devastated by heavy rains since March 2024, causing hundreds of deaths and affecting thousands of people, including through displacement.
There was also severe damage to infrastructure, including schools and health facilities.
Amid this crisis, a dramatic photo of CNN journalist Larry Madowo interviewing a woman circulated on social media. Users claimed that he was reporting on the flood situation in Kenya.
The photo shows Madowo submerged in water up to his waist as he interviews a woman. It also shows a cameraperson sitting in a boat, seemingly filming the interview.
Madowo’s coverage of the floods has attracted considerable attention, particularly in Kenya. He documented the aftermath of the devastating floods in April 2024 and shared his experiences on social media, including images of himself navigating through flooded areas to speak to those affected.
His style of reporting has been criticised by some Kenyans who argue that it dwells too much on the negative and fails to highlight the positive stories amid the hardships.
Madowo has defended his approach.
The photo in question also appears here and here.
But does the dramatic photo show Madowo reporting on the 2024 floods in Kenya? We checked.
Photo taken in 2022 in Nigeria
A Google reverse search of the photo in question revealed that it was taken in October 2022.
Commenting on the viral photo, Madowo clarified its origin. “A picture of me waist-deep in flood waters went viral again this week. It’s from a story we did in southern Nigeria in October 2022,” he wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where he has 2.5 million followers.
“Don't believe anything you see on the internet,” he added. Madowo also posted the original story.
The post claiming to show Madowo reporting on the flood situation in Kenya also appears here and here.
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