Superstitious beliefs gripped local folks at a coastal village in Luz Banzon, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental after a 12-foot long oarfish washed up on the shore today, September 21, 2023. The oarfish is a rare deep sea creature which has been a subject of Japanese myths that whenever they surface to shallow waters, disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions usually happen.
However, some recent studies showed that scientists have found a correlation between oarfish strandings and El Niño years. During an El Niño, the temperature at the surface is several degrees higher than the average while at deeper depths, where the fish live, the water is cooler than usual. Oarfish feed on plankton and tiny fish, which follow the warmer water as the oarfish follows its preferred food to the surface. SOURCE
It can be recalled that PAGASA has forecast El Niño this year. – SOURCE
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