In what comes as a rare appearance, the ‘doomsday fish’ was seen along the shores of Grandview Beach in Encinitas, Southern California. The deep-sea creature has puzzled both scientists and folklore enthusiasts. They are often referred to as a doomsday fish because of their mythical reputation of being associated with an earthquake or natural disaster. Reports suggest that in the months preceding the 2011 earthquake, 20 oarfish were discovered on Japanese beaches.With this spotting, it is the second time an oarfish has been discovered in the same area. Many people took to their official X handles and shared shocking images of the creature. “Look what decided to make another appearance! Last week, another #oarfish washed up on Grandview Beach in Encinitas and was spotted by Scripps Oceanography PhD candidate Alison Laferriere. This cool creature measures roughly 9 to 10 feet long,” wrote Scripps Institution of Oceanography while posting the photos online.

Ben Frable, Scripps Marine Vertebrate Collection Manager, while speaking to media, said, “Like with the previous oarfish, this specimen and the samples taken from it will be able to tell us much about the biology, anatomy, genomics and life history of oarfishes.” Only 20 oarfish sightings have been reported in California since 1901. Meaning, they are extremely uncommon. Since the fish usually live 20 to 200 meters below the surface in temperate and tropical waters, their near-surface appearances happen to be a rare occurrence.