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In March 2018, a false (and potentially harmful) viral message spread around WhatsApp groups and social networks in India, warning recipients of an impending major earthquake in and around the capital city of Delhi. The message, which was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, typically went something like this: Even with such glaring mistakes, the message still managed to trick some recipients into thinking it was real; according to Mumbai-based Times Now News, it was shared widely in WhatsApp groups in India before moving on to social media. In reality, NASA did not issue any warning about an earthquake hitting India in April 2018, because no earthquake prediction exists (although seismic alarms can and do save lives, but that is a matter of seconds rather than days or weeks). As the United States Geological Survey explains: An earthquake measuring 9.1 or 9.2 on the Richter scale (not Rector's) would rank among the largest in recorded history, according to USGS data, so it's perhaps not surprising that some people were concerned enough about the well-being of their friends and family to share the alert. It's not clear what the origins of the hoax were, or whether it was intended simply as a prank or with more malicious motivations in mind. The Delhi urban area has a population of around 26 million people and a sudden mass exodus could potentially have serious consequences.
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