A major earthquake has rocked a country after thousands of sardines mysteriously washed up on its beaches. Heaps of the small fish died along a beach on Sunday (7 Jan), turning the shoreline silver for up to four kilometres.
Some locals were delighted with the “blessing from above.”
But others feared it was a bad omen.
The sardines appeared along the coast of Tinoto village in Sarangani province on the Philippine island of Mindanao.
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Local man Mark Baya was worried that the beaching was an “advance notice.”He added: “My fear may be baseless, but who knows.”
Before dawn on Tuesday (9 Jan), a powerful earthquake struck the Philippines.
It measured 7.1, categorised as “major”, on the Richter scale.
Only three to 20 major earthquakes happen worldwide per year.
The quake struck approximately 74 miles south-east of Sarangani Island about 47 miles deep.
The island lies about 41 miles from Tinoto as the crow flies.
Although the earthquake was felt in parts of Sarangani province, there have been no reports of casualties, injuries, or damage to infrastructure so far.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has said aftershocks are expected but added that there is no tsunami risk.
Cirilo Lagnason Jr of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Soccsksargen region says the beaching and the quake are not necessarily linked.
He said: “This may be a result of upwelling, an ocean process in which colder water is pushed towards the ocean surface, bringing nutrients, including plankton, the diet of these juvenile fish.
“As a result, the fish were trapped in shallower areas, making them easier to catch.”
The Philippines is an earthquake hotspot due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
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