The mysterious 4-meter-long creature that washed up on the beach stunned those who saw it. The eruption of 6 volcanoes just 6 days after the appearance of the "fish of doom", which is believed by the public to be a harbinger of disasters, brought the chilling legend that has been told for years back to the agenda.
According to Wio News, the rare oarfish was found at Pink Beach on the southeast coast of Komodo Island around 07.30 on the morning of August 25. A group of children and an old man carried the fish, approximately 4 meters long, from the beach.
The appearance of the fish quickly caused concern in the region due to its rarity and old beliefs among the people.
The incident took place in Telone District of Sekaroh Village, Indonesia. Neighborhood headman Sahlan, in his statement to local media outlet detikBali, said that a person who was not from the village had been camping in the area since the previous night and that this person found the fish in the morning.
Sahlan stated that people were worried about volcanic activity in the region after the fish appeared, but the situation was calm at that time. However, just 6 days later, a remarkable volcanic activity occurred in the country.
According to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), at least 6 volcanic eruptions occurred almost simultaneously on August 31.
While the Sinabung Volcano in North Sumatra was erupting, the Anak Krakatau Volcano spewed volcanic ash that reached some parts of Java and Sumatra and rose to a height of 50 thousand feet, that is, about 15 thousand meters.
Other volcanoes that erupted on the same day were Ibu Volcano in North Maluku, Lewotobi Perempuan and Ili Lewotolok Volcanoes in East Nusa Tenggara, and Semeru Volcano in East Java.
The almost simultaneous activation of six volcanoes caused the old beliefs about the oarfish that washed ashore days ago to be talked about again. However, experts have an important warning on this matter.
PVMBG President Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati particularly emphasized that the 6 volcanic eruptions are not connected to each other.
Scientists have repeatedly stated that there is no proven connection between the appearance of oarfish and earthquakes, tsunamis, floods or volcanic eruptions.
Because oarfish live at extreme depths, it is extremely rare for them to surface. For this reason, although their emergence has been associated with various disasters throughout history, scientific data does not support this belief.
Oarfish are seen as harbingers of disasters, especially in Japanese folklore. The name of these creatures, called “Ryūgū no tsukai” in Japan, means “Messenger from the Palace of the Sea God”.
According to ancient belief, oarfish rise to the surface from deep waters to give a warning to people. For this reason, over time, they began to be called "fish of doom". One of the most striking examples of this belief dates back to 1819.
According to the Japanese tale, a paddlefish about 30 feet long appeared off the coast of Tsushima in April 1819. It is said that approximately 800 people came to the area by boat to see the fish and 30 cannons were fired at the creature. But the fish did not move.
According to legend, after 7 days, the fish gave a message to the people: "I have nothing to fear. I came here from the Dragon Palace for a reason. One day this year, a great disaster will come and people will definitely die."
This story has survived to this day as one of the most striking examples of why oarfish are associated with disasters.
A day after the oarfish appeared, on August 26, a major disaster occurred in Nepal, approximately 4,600 kilometers away from Indonesia.
It was reported that the flash floods occurred as a result of the overflow of a glacial lake and submerged villages. It was reported that the disaster caused the death of more than 1,300 people.
However, there is no scientifically established connection between the floods in Nepal and the emergence of the oarfish.
Although all these developments create a remarkable picture in terms of timing, experts underline that there is no scientific evidence that oarfish foretell future disasters.
However, the almost simultaneous eruption of 6 volcanoes, just 6 days after a 4-meter "fish of doom" washed ashore, was enough to bring the legend that has been told for centuries back to the agenda.
