Rare 30-foot long 'doomsday fish' found on shores of Tamil Nadu: Is it a sign of upcoming disaster? Know here

A dying rare deep sea creature 'Angler fish' also known as 'black sea devil' shocked the internet when it was seen on the surface of the ocean, triggering conspiracies about dangerous tsunamis and disasters ahead. There are many deep sea creatures, like Angler fish and Oarfish fish, that are rarely seen on the ocean surface as they live in the darkness of the ocean. 

In a recent sighting of these, an Oarfish was caught off the coast of Tamil Nadu by fishermans. This rare oarfish, which is usually a mysterious rare deep-sea creature was unexpectedly found in fishermen’s nets. This Oarfish is also known as a "Doomsday Fish,” or 'Pralaya fish', as they are associated with conspiracies predicting  an upcoming earthquake or Tsunami. They indicate that 'something is not right' in the deep sea. 

The oarfish caught in Tamil Nadu, was a 30 foot long shimmering oarfish, silver in color, ribbon-like body and had a red fin on its head. It was extremely huge and was handled by 5-6 fishermen. The video was shared on Instagram, with the caption 'A rare deep-sea creature, the oarfish, also known as the ‘Doomsday Fish’, has surfaced in Tamil Nadu!' This has created a buzz on the Internet.

 May 31, 2025

'Bad omen'

The oarfish are a rare sighting as they are found at the depths of the sea ranging from 200 to 1,000 meters. The oarfish, scientifically named 'Regalecus glesne', is called a 'Doomsday fish'. In Japanese and Chinese cultures, the sighting of an oarfish is considered an omen of disaster. An oarfish is a rare sighting on the ocean surface as it is a deep sea creature that lives in the dark. Many believe that they appear just before a massive earthquake and are a bad sign. They have been associated with tragic events. 

In Japanese folklore, these are called “Ryugu no tsukai”, meaning messenger from the sea god's palace. They swim up when they sense underwater movements. Back in 2011, when Japan was shaken by earthquake and Tsunami, these oarfish were spotted just a few days before. 

What's more shocking is that a 'Mega-earthquake' in Japan is being predicted by several foresighter. Even a report by the Japanese government released in 2025 has predicted the same. 

However, science has a different perspective. There has been no scientific evidence found to prove the folklore. However, climate change and stress in the deep sea due to pollution may be a reason for its surfacing to the ocean top.