Is sharks in Jamaica resort pool video real? Viral clip explored as misinformation spreads online amid Hurricane Melissa

As Jamaica copes with the destruction brought on by Hurricane Melissa, which is said to be one of the most powerful storms on record to strike the Caribbean, a viral TikTok video has surfaced of sharks swimming in floodwater and has been viewed millions of times.

The brief TikTok video shows a few sharks swimming in either a resort swimming pool or in the floodwater, which has sparked a reaction on TikTok, Instagram and X like no other. The video has been confirmed by experts and fact checkers to be fake.

According to reports, the popular video was first posted by the TikTok user @romainetv2, who filmed murky flood waters from a hotel balcony in Jamaica. A woman can be heard in the background shouting, “Oh my God, the whole ocean is on the street!”

This is Jamica the ocean 🌊 hitting the street with 🦈 sharks in the pool which is gone pic.twitter.com/ZaXzYRPxoJ

— 💝🌹💖🇮🇳jaggirmRanbir🇮🇳💖🌹💝 (@jaggirm) October 28, 2025

The video appears to imply that sharks from the ocean swam inland, finding refuge in pools or flood waters while the storm raged on.

Shortly after, videos with very much the same content were shared on Instagram and WhatsApp that showed sharks swimming along underwater roads or swimming near resorts. While the scenes might be compelling at first glance, there is no verified news, reports, or authentic video evidence to support these claims.

Experts have now shown that the videos were AI-generated hoaxes. Newsweek reported that one of the most viral shark videos was created by TikTok user @yulian_studios, who regularly posts AI enhanced and altered videos purely for entertainment.

The profile of the creator even states that the content is "AI-generated," which many users who shared the clip did not pay close attention to. The misleading posts have gained millions of views across the platforms.

More about the actual state of Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica is facing serious and extensive damage after having been hit head on by Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall as a powerful and catastrophic Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said damages are substantial, especially in the direct path of the storm. The St. Elizabeth parish, referred to as the "breadbasket" of the nation, was reported as "underwater," a serious setback to the food supply of the country. The storm also knocked out critical services.

🚨 BREAKING: HOSPITALS DESTROYED IN JAMAICA 🚨

Medical facilities in Black River, Jamaica have reportedly been destroyed, according to a Jamaican Senator speaking to NBC.
Amid Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic landfall, emergency services are overwhelmed, and access to care is… pic.twitter.com/FwJsmfMvqr

— Dj Steven King (@djstevenking1) October 28, 2025

The storm left over 530,000 customers (about 77%) of the power company without electricity. The health care system suffered severe hits, as two hospitals, including Black River Hospital, reported damage, including loss of roofs and outages, due to which they had to relocate patients.

While no fatalities were immediately reported to have been caused by the storm, the overall toll on Jamaicans, in terms of human life, is not known yet. In preparation for the storm, approximately 15,000 people stayed in shelters for protection. The damage to the economy will be extensive, especially as most businesses, hotels, and airports have closed prior to the storm, in addition to trapping nearly 25,000 tourists.

The government has begun planning a large relief and recovery response and is in discussions with international partners, including the U.S., as Jamaica begins the long process of recovery and rebuilding.