Denis Santos
The third case of an oarfish being found on a shore was recorded on a beach in Cagayan de Oro. The fish measured around 15 feet long but died later on according to the reports of ABS.
Oarfish normally live in the depths of the ocean floor and can grow 56 feet in length. It usually lives between 200 to 1,000 meters under the water’s surface, but since February, three oarfish was seen floating near the shore on the beaches of northern coast Mindanao island.
Order of the Oarfish
The first case of the three was on February 8 when a fisherman caught one in Agusan del Norte, and days after, a 6.7-magnitude quake in Surigao City happened.
Another oarfish was recovered along the coast of Barangay Rojales in Agusan Del Norte
It’s a Sign
The continuous cases of oarfish sparked fears to the locals, because it could be a sign of an incoming huge earthquake. In Japan, it can weigh up to 600 lbs (270 kgs) and is commonly known as “Messenger from the Sea God’s Palace” and “Prophets of Doom”.
But according to Rachel Grant, a lecturer, and a scientist:
It’s theoretically possible because when an earthquake occurs there can be a build-up of pressure in the rocks which can lead to electrostatic charges that cause electrically charged ions to be released into the water.
A seismologist in Japan also debunked the superstition that oarfish is a messenger of God and a sign of an upcoming quake. He described it as:
Deep-sea fish living near the sea bottom are more sensitive to the movements of active faults than those near the surface of the sea.
It is easy to jump to conclusions and to believe all the superstitions, but these scientists and experts proved it has nothing to do with God’s wrath. It could be a sign of movements at sea faults, but not an instant impending quake.
