Two surfers have found a ‘doomsday’ oafish ashore on a Mexico tourist beach, sparking fears of an impending disaster.
The massive fish, considered one of the longest fish in the ocean, was discovered lying on the sand still alive but appeared to have part of its tail missing.
Oarfish are rarely seen alive because they only leave their natural habitats when they are in distress.
The young surfers quickly rushed to the creature lying in Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.
They can measure up to 36 feet in length and weigh over 441 pounds and live at depths of up to 1,000m meaning sightings are not very common.
Legend has it that ‘doomsday’ oafish surface from the deep to warn people when a natural disaster is imminent as they live so close to the bottom of the ocean, they can sense when seismic activity is occurring and immediately rush to the surface in a panic.
In traditional Japanese legend, the fish were known as “ryugu no tsukai” meaning “the messenger from the sea dragon god’s palace.”
A local who witnessed the scene in Mexico said: “They say those fish appear when there is going to be a very strong tsunami.”
The myth was rekindled in 2011 when 20 oarfish washed up on Japan’s shores in the months before a powerful earthquake and tsunami. It was only the 21st reported sighting of an oarfish on a Californian beach since 1901, according to Need To Know.
Meanwhile in 2017 six oarfish were spotted days before a deadly earthquake in the southern Philippines.
Oarfish found on beaches since or in shallow water have caused concern among residents from the Philippines to California.
More recently, an oarfish washed ashore in California last November. And in December, the state was rocked by a major earthquake that triggered a tsunami warning.
