'Doomsday Fish' sighting off Tamil Nadu coast sparks panic; is linked to risk of natural disasters; watch video
PTC Web Desk: A rare deep-sea creature known as the oarfish, often dubbed the “doomsday fish,” has been caught off the coast of Tamil Nadu, sending waves of concern across local communities. According to an ancient Japanese belief, the appearance of this elusive fish near the surface is considered a harbinger of natural disasters, particularly earthquakes and tsunamis.
In a now-viral video circulating on social media, seven fishermen can be seen holding the massive, serpentine creature. The oarfish displays a long, silvery, ribbon-like body and a vivid red crest-like fin near its head — characteristics that make its rare appearances all the more striking.
The rarely seen oarfish, which usually are in deep-sea, which is also known as 'Doomsday' fish is caught in the net in TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/8N4TTNyDec — Aryan (@chinchat09) June 16, 2025
The caption of the viral post reads, “The rarely seen oarfish, which usually lives in the deep sea, also known as the ‘Doomsday Fish,’ has been caught in Tamil Nadu.” Known for its sluggish movements, the oarfish typically floats vertically and feeds on plankton. Its weak muscles render it largely inactive, and sightings near the surface often signal that the creature is sick, dying, or attempting to breed.
Folklore in Japan suggests that oarfish are capable of detecting seismic disturbances beneath the ocean floor and swim to shallower waters as a warning. Though this belief persists, scientists have never confirmed any link between oarfish sightings and earthquakes.
Oarfish are among the longest bony fish in the ocean, growing up to 11 metres (36 feet) in length. Spotting them is extremely rare. Yet, in recent years, these mysterious sea creatures have surfaced more frequently. Earlier this month, an oarfish measuring three metre was found washed ashore at Ocean Beach near Strahan, Tasmania, by local resident Sybil Robertson. In February, another specimen was discovered in the shallow waters off Baja California Sur, along Mexico’s Pacific coastline.
- With inputs from agencies
