A rare sea creature dubbed a ‘Doomsday fish’ has sparked fears of a looming disaster.
The long, silver oarfish, which has a striking red crest, was discovered by fisherman.
And it quickly sparked speculation among residents who panicked over the rare catch.
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Due to their peculiar size and shape, the oarfish resemble sea serpents and are considered harbingers of earthquakes and misfortune in Japanese mythology.
Scientists, however, have emphasised that no proven connection between catastrophes and animals exists, as reported by Need To Know.
According to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a 2019 study found that there was no correlation between oarfish sightings and natural disasters.
A video showed the moment the catch was made.
Several men were required to hold up the fish to the camera.
This particular sighting occurred in the waters surrounding the state of Tamil Nadu, located in the south of India.
The features typically inhabit depths of 200 to 1,000 metres and rarely surface alive.
Oarfish sometimes wash up on beaches after a storm or when they suffer a serious injury.
They can grow up to thirty feet in length, making them one of the longest bony fish in the ocean.
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