Rare deep sea oarfish found off Taiwan coast signals an imminent earthquake or tsunami

Off the northeastern coast of Taiwan, divers have captured a remarkable sighting on camera: an unusual encounter with a giant oarfish displaying conspicuous perforations in its body.

In accordance with Japanese folklore, the presence of this deep-sea creature has been associated with a potential warning of an approaching earthquake or tsunami.

Diving instructor Wang Cheng-ru filmed the footage off the coast of Ruifang, where divers can be seen surrounding the massive, iridescent silver oarfish. Contrary to the traditional belief, Wang Cheng-ru does not believe that the oarfish's presence served as a harbinger of an earthquake.

"It must have been dying so it swam into shallow waters," he told Newsweek.

"Many amazing animals can be found off Taiwan's northeast coast, and the views under water are very beautiful, but it was my first encounter with a giant oarfish."

Watch the encounter:

#wagnertonight#Maddow
Science break.
A rare six-foot oarfish, sometimes called a doomsday fish, has been spotted, sparking doomsday theories.
A group of divers, off the coast of Taiwan, have come across an enormous deep-sea creature with chunks bitten out of its body. pic.twitter.com/PDaW6iCIS8

— Firecaptain and Jack (@Firecaptain16) July 21, 2023

According to the diving instructor, the evident bite marks on the oarfish could possibly be attributed to an attack by a cookiecutter shark.

Giant oarfish, capable of reaching lengths of up to 50 feet, typically inhabit depths of around 3,000 feet below the water's surface.

In Japan, these colossal oarfish have earned the moniker "messenger from the sea god's palace" and have been associated with apocalyptic predictions. Nevertheless, scientific experts challenge these notions.

In February 2019, the appearance of three giant oarfish washed ashore in Japan heightened concerns of an impending earthquake or tsunami.