A rare deep-sea fish was found off the coast of San Diego when residents at the upscale Pacific Beach colony were startled by seeing a strange, serpent-like animal bobbing on the surface. As it turned out, it was an impressive 12-foot Oarfish. The event has captivated curiosity and provoked theories related to myth that the elusive deep-sea fish has always been associated with ill omens. Some call it a harbinger of doom, believing it indicates an upcoming earthquake because it is one of those creatures that reportedly predict natural disasters.
Experts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography were also called in to look into the Oar-fish, an animal living deep into what is known as the mesopelagic zone— 650 to 3,300 feet below the surface, and ot is very odd for it to come near the shore. Some cultures in Japan believe that its stranding is a foreshadowing of seismic activity. According to Japanese folklore “Ryugu no tsuka”, or “the messenger from the sea god’s palace”- , this fish predicts earthquakes.
Only 20 sightings of the fish have been recorded in California over the past century, adding to the eerie significance of its appearance. The NY Post noted that deep-sea creatures like the oarfish tend to surface before dying, possibly due to environmental stressors like seismic activity. Scientists are now conducting a necropsy to determine if this particular oarfish’s death could be linked to changes on the ocean floor.
Although comparable incidents have been linked to significant earthquakes, the relationship between oarfish sightings and earthquakes is still unproven scientifically. Before an earthquake in 2013, two oarfish washed ashore on California’s coastlines. Fears are heightened by a Japanese legend that links oarfish to the Fukushima accident of 2011.
Although it’s unknown if this sighting portends an impending earthquake, experts are keeping a careful eye on the seismic activity in the area as a precautionary reminder of nature’s unexpected power.
