hadoop - Unrelated HDFS files disappearing on insert overwrite -

i had number of hdfs files (which backed hive tables) disappear. admin says caused insert overwrite query:

insert overwrite table [table1] select [column] [table2] e lateral view explode(e.col) t words;

and yes, know can't insert lateral view - now.

the question - how can insert overwrite single table delete data every table in database... or can it?