From Japan to India: Four times when the 'Doomsday Fish' appeared and bad things followed

The "Doomsday Fish", or the oarfish, is associated with disasters, such as tsunamis and earthquakes, and diseases. Japanese folklore talks of a mammoth 60-foot creature that warned people of an "evil illness" from which "the sick will not be saved." The sea creature is rarely seen on the surface, which is why every sighting sends a wave of panic. Several incidents have been preceded by the appearance of the oarfish across the world, despite scientists dismissing any links. However, the Japanese folklore continues to spread fear, and every time the "doomsday fish" is seen, the scare is renewed. Here are some occasions when the doomsday fish was seen, and days later, disaster struck.

The Japanese folklore surrounding the oarfish would have remained a mere legend if not for the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Reports suggest that months before the 9 magnitude quake struck Tōhoku, several oarfish washed ashore along the coast of Japan. The massive earthquake and the resulting tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people. This tragic incident cemented the belief of several people in the legend of the "doomsday fish" being the bearer of bad news.

The oarfish also made an appearance in the Philippines in August 2017. Two "doomsday fish" washed ashore one day before a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Luzon. It shook buildings and led to evacuations. The earthquake did not lead to severe injuries or deaths. However, people could not help but join the dots with the appearance of the oarfish and the earthquake. The country lies in the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire.

Air India Flight 171 crashed seconds after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on 12 June 2025. A total of 241 people died on the plane, and 19 were killed on the ground. Only a few days ago, around the end of May, a "doomsday fish" was caught off the coast of Tamil Nadu. It was a 30-foot oarfish, and a total of seven men had to hold it fully.

In August last year, a 12-foot-long (3.7 metres) short-crested oarfish emerged from the sea near San Diego. Days later, an earthquake hit Los Angeles. The sighting of the oarfish happened on August 10, and the magnitude 4.4 tremors struck on August 12. Scientists were quick to dismiss any connection, saying it was merely a superstition. California sits in a hot tectonic region, and small earthquakes frequently hit the region.

Oarfish can grow as huge as 36 feet. They basically look like giant snakes and are believed to have birthed the stories around sea serpents. Since the oarfish is rarely seen, sailors who didn't know what an oarfish was thought they were serpents, linking them to folklore and legends.

Scientists say there is no evidence linking the oarfish to doomsday scenarios and disasters. They live in deep waters, about 20 to 200 metres. According to experts, their surfacing is mostly because either they are lost, injured, in the process of dying, or already dead.