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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-50549711/could-victoria-falls-dry-up
I was concerned about this story, and I mentioned it to a colleague who still has family in Zimbabwe.
They say it is fake news, the pictures are from the summer, and the falls are fairly flooding now. In fact the story is causing some anger in Zimbabwe.
There must be many more examples of fake news reported here, we should keep an eye on them.
I long stopped believing anything on BBC - it's an 'institution' that's well past it's sell-by date !
Is it not more about the fact that there was a pretty indisputably awful drought earlier this year, which caused the water level to be lower than usual?Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
All news is subjective IMO, but the BBC weren't the only ones reporting this...
That was my take on it.Quote:
Originally Posted by McS****y
They said the water flow was down 50% over the whole year, I don't think it's misleading that they choose a picture which highlights that. :dunno:
They broadcast the news at a time when the falls were gushing with water, and did not say that the pictures were from the summer. It gave the impression that the drought was still a factor in November.Quote:
Originally Posted by danhibees1875
I see what you did there! Fake news, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Deansy
They've reported on the years water at the end of the year. I've no idea if the current high levels of water are as high as usual but assuming that throughout the year it is correct to say that the water is down 50% then it seems an accurate article.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
I don't really see the issue.
The editing of the piece on Newsnight gave a different impression. I agree about the article though.Quote:
Originally Posted by danhibees1875
Ah okay, I haven't seen it on Newsnight. :aok:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
I think this could be quite an interesting thread though!
Sorry, I could have made it clearer.Quote:
Originally Posted by danhibees1875
It's not fake news in the slightest. Sure, the worst grip of the drought occurred during the summer months and the recent rains have alleviated some of the challenges, but those rains are "topping up" from a depleted base. A large amount of the rainfall being experienced just now will infiltrate into subsurface aquifers, leaving challenges for those who rely on the surface water flows.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
This drought has severely impacted regional food security (as irrigation has been nearly impossible), and has recently resulted in blackouts in parts of Zambia and Zimbabwe - just look at the live reservoir levels - as of yesterday, it was 9.38% full - i.e., inoperable for HEP or potable water supplies:
http://www.zambezira.org/hydrology/k...reservoir-data
It was fake news if the televised report implied that they were suffering drought at a time when they weren't. The pictures were shot in the summer and broadcast in November.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylar
But they ARE still suffering from drought - again, as of yesterday, their reservoirs aren't operable because the levels are so low.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
Here's a photo of the falls from the President of Zambia yesterday: https://twitter.com/EdgarCLungu/stat...90178244661254
They're not quite as bad as the "completely dry" photos that were evident in the summer, but they're not exactly gushing either.
Maybe my Zimbabwean sources are wrong. I think the case against fake news has been proved here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylar
I'll go back to my sources.
Another example today on the BBC with a headline exclaiming ' Australia All-Time Temperature Record Broken Again 'Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
All time since European settlers arrived, I take it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Corstorphine Hibby
Unless they have access to records since the world began.
' All Time ' since official records began ...... in 1910 :hmmm:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
What is fake news about it? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by Corstorphine Hibby
Edit- is it only because all time only means since records began? I think that's stretching it to call it fake news. :greengrin
Exactly. How can it be fake news if there were no records to disprove it? :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by danhibees1875
I'm told that until circa 1897 central Australia so cold it was covered in glaciers. I have no records to disprove it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
:agree: Russell's teapot cracked with the extreme cold in the early 1890s.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
I hope pedantry isn't going to spoil a potentially excellent thread.
However, this story actually 100% correct.
The all time temperature record has been broken.
The previous all time record, set on Tuesday (not by the BBC) was broken.
Previous to 1970, there was no record to break.
It's like arguing that Usain Bolt claiming to have run the fastest ever 100 metres is fake news because someone being chased by a sabre tooth tiger thousands of years ago might have run faster.
Bams the lot of you. 😁
It's been the hottest summer since last year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
I think your glacier story was fake news.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
Just saying.
I swear it's true. I've seen pictures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
That's real news too. :rules:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
The clue is in the word 'record'. There were no records to break prior to the recording of temperatures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
But you said you had no records.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana
More fake news :grr:
This is the post truth society.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibbyradge
That is the first true thing you've said since March 2015. :agree:Quote:
Originally Posted by Cataplana