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False Claims Misrepresent Meditation Photos as Myanmar Earthquake Victims
Old photographs depicting a meditation practice in Myanmar have been falsely circulated on social media, wrongly identified as images of casualties from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the Southeast Asian nation in late March. This misinformation falsely attributes the photos, which actually originate from a meditation camp and predate the earthquake that resulted in over 3,000 fatalities.
Social Media Posts Spread Misleading Earthquake Casualty Claims
A Hindi-language Facebook post shared on March 29, 2025, included a set of three images with the caption: “The Buddhist circles are mourning the earthquake in Myanmar, Burma and Thailand. Buddhist devotees and monks are no longer among us. Heartfelt tributes.”
Two of the photos showed monks lying prostrate on the ground, while the third depicted individuals in civilian clothing in the same supine position.
Official sources in Myanmar reported that the death toll from the devastating March 28 quake has exceeded 3,300. Many residents remain displaced, their homes destroyed or deemed unsafe due to the seismic activity.
Screenshot of the false post, taken April 8, 2025
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The identical image compilation, accompanied by similar deceptive statements, also appeared on X and other social media platforms.
User comments expressing grief over the purported fatalities indicate that many believed the photos depicted genuine earthquake victims.
One user lamented, “Very sad news. An irreparable loss to the Buddhist community.”
Another user conveyed condolences, stating, “Heartfelt condolences to the deceased.”
Photos Depict Meditation, Not Earthquake Aftermath
However, the images predate the seismic event and actually portray a meditation session.
A reverse image search via Google revealed that the photos were originally shared independently on a Facebook page named “Theinngu 32,” accompanied by Burmese captions translating to “lying meditation.”
Information on the website linked in the page’s introduction identifies it as belonging to a Buddhist meditation center based in Myanmar.
The initial photo featuring the row of monks in a prone position was posted on January 27, 2020. The second followed on October 5, 2020, and the third image showing civilians was uploaded on October 14, 2019.
Screenshot comparison of the images shared in false posts (left) and photos posted by the meditation centre (right)
Fact-Checking Confirms Visual Misinformation
An administrator of the “Theinngu 32” Facebook page verified that the photos had no connection to the recent Myanmar earthquake.
“These photos illustrate the lying meditation practice conducted during a 10-day meditation camp held in the past,” they confirmed.
Reputable fact-checking agencies have also addressed similar instances of misrepresented visuals linked to the Myanmar earthquake, further debunking the false claims.