Debunking False Claims of Paris Blackout After 2024 Olympics Opening
Misleading social media posts about power outages in Paris following the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony are refuted. The widely shared image dates back to a 2021 Earth Hour event.
In the aftermath of the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, social media platforms were abuzz with claims of prolonged power outages affecting the Eiffel Tower and surrounding areas. However, these assertions have been proven false, highlighting the importance of fact-checking in the digital age.
The viral posts featured an image of the iconic Eiffel Tower shrouded in darkness, purportedly taken on July 27, 2024, a day after the Games' commencement. This image, however, was not recent. It was captured by AFP photographer Stephanie De Sakutin on March 27, 2021, during the annual Earth Hour event. Earth Hour, an initiative launched by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007, encourages people worldwide to turn off their lights for one hour to raise awareness about climate change.
While brief power disruptions did occur in Paris on July 27, 2024, they were limited in scope and duration. Enedis, a unit of Électricité de France, confirmed that an electrical incident impacted 85,000 residential clients for 3 to 10 minutes in four arrondissements (1st, 9th, 17th, and 18th). Notably, these outages did not affect the 7th arrondissement, home to the Eiffel Tower.
"Last Saturday July 27th at 11.40pm, an electrical incident impacted the grid operated by Enedis. 85.000 residential clients were impacted between 3 to 10 minutes (in the 1st, 9th, 17th and 18th arrondissements of Paris)."
It's worth noting that the Eiffel Tower, a symbol of Paris and France, has a rich history beyond its role in the Olympics. Built for the 1889 World's Fair, it stands 324 meters tall and was the world's tallest man-made structure until 1930. The tower, which was initially intended to be temporary, has become a permanent fixture of the Parisian skyline, welcoming over 250 million visitors since its opening.
The structure's resilience is remarkable. It sways up to 6-7 cm in strong winds and appears 15 cm taller in summer due to thermal expansion. The tower is repainted every seven years, maintaining its distinctive "Eiffel Tower Brown" color, though it was once yellow.
As for the 2024 Olympics, the Eiffel Tower's 20,000 light bulbs continued to illuminate the Parisian night sky, unaffected by the localized power issues. The tower's official website made no mention of any outages on July 27, further debunking the circulating claims.
In conclusion, while Paris did experience minor electrical disturbances following the Olympic opening ceremony, reports of a widespread blackout affecting the Eiffel Tower were misleading. This incident serves as a reminder of the need for critical evaluation of information shared on social media platforms, especially during high-profile events like the Olympics.
