Recently, a very rare fish was reeled in by fishermen in Thailand, and now they are worried a deadly earthquake and tsunami might be on their way to bring devastation. The fish here in question is the oarfish, also known as ‘harbinger of doom’ or ‘the earthquake fish,’ which is generally found in waters at a depth of 1,000 metres and is rarely seen by humans on the surface. The eerie-looking sea creature can grow to as long as 11 metres and was caught by Thai fishermen on Wednesday (Jan 3) in the Andaman Sea.
According to Japanese folklore, if you ever spot an oarfish in shallow waters, you better brace for an earthquake or tsunami.
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The fact that the oarfish was spotted just days after a deadly earthquake struck Japan on New Year’s Day, it immediately caught the attention of the locals in La-ngu, Satun province, on Thailand’s southwest coast.
Watch: Japan Earthquake: Losses to touch $6.4 billion, death toll climbs to 98
“If encountering an oarfish in the vicinity of Satun, it may indicate a potential concern for an earthquake along the Andaman coast,” a local resident Boomerange was quoted as saying by media.
“And there could be a tsunami as well,” the resident added.
Marine ecology lecturer Thō̜n Thamrongnāwāsawat of Kasetsart University was quoted as saying that the fish was also known as “the earthquake fish.” “It looks like an oarfish. Oarfish, nicknamed the “earthquake fish”, is a deep-sea fish. When it surfaces, earthquakes often occur,” he said.
The science behind the phenomenon
Thō̜n Thamrongnāwāsawat later explains the possibilities that might have led the oarfish to shallow waters. While trying to calm fears, Thamrongnāwāsawat said the unusual sighting could be due to the entrance of cold water into the Andaman Sea from the Indian Ocean.
“Recently, the cold water entering the Andaman Sea has led to unusual fish sightings due to the Indian Ocean Dipole,” he said,
“Previously, a Mola mola was caught in a net, and now an oarfish. It’s plausible that these fish are following the cold water mass. While unusual events occur in the ocean, understanding the context helps avoid unnecessary alarm,” he concluded.
(With inputs from agencies)
