"Strange creature" appears, causing fishermen to fear an earthquake

Thai fishermen recently caught a very rare fish called the oarfish.

The oarfish (also known as the "earthquake fish"), scientifically known as Regalecus glesne, is a large, elongated ray-finned fish that can be found in areas ranging from temperate to tropical waters.

The fish is usually found in waters as deep as 1,000 meters and is rarely seen by humans at the surface.

This strange-looking sea creature can grow up to 11 meters long and was caught by Thai fishermen on January 3 in the Andaman Sea, Wionews reported.

According to Japanese folklore, if you ever see an oarfish in shallow water, you'd better be prepared for an earthquake or tsunami.

The oarfish's discovery - just days after a powerful earthquake hit Japan on New Year's Day - immediately drew alarm from locals in La-ngu, Satun province, on Thailand's southwestern coast.

“If you come across an oarfish in the vicinity of Satun, it could indicate potential concerns about an earthquake along the Andaman coast,” said Boomerang, a local.

“And there could be a tsunami,” the resident added.

“Oarfish (earthquake fish) live in the deep sea. When it surfaces, earthquakes often occur,” said marine ecology lecturer Thō̜n Thamrongnāwāsawat of Kasetsart University, Thailand.

Mr. Thō̜n Thamrongnāwāsawat tried to allay people's fears by explaining the possibilities that could have brought the oarfish to shallow waters, possibly due to cold water from the Indian Ocean entering the Andaman Sea due to the Indian Ocean dipole phenomenon.

Oarfish and sunfish are thought to have appeared in Thailand due to the Indian Ocean dipole, an irregular fluctuation of sea surface temperatures in which the western part of the Indian Ocean is alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the ocean.

“The ocean has strange phenomena but if we have enough information, we can explain them,” said Mr. Thamrongnawasawat, adding that researchers had taken in the oarfish for study.

He also urged people not to panic, asserting that this had nothing to do with the earthquake.

In Japanese folklore, people believe that oarfish are messengers from the sea god to warn them of impending disaster. This belief gained further traction after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan in 2011. In the two years leading up to the disaster, large numbers of oarfish washed up on the shores, fueling public speculation that an earthquake was imminent.

Minh Hoa (reported by Tuoi Tre, Znews)

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