Rare 'doomsday fish' washes up from the deep, sparking fears that a huge disaster is coming

A huge ‘doomsday fish’ tied to natural disasters and bad omens has washed ashore in Chile, prompting fears of more bad luck on the way.

The massive fish is called the oarfish, and there are reasons why it is feared and revered as a harbinger of doom.

The ‘doomsday fish’ washed ashore in Chile

Of course, how much you believe in the prophecy of a gigantic dead fish is up to you, and there is no real evidence to suggest any link.

However, that hasn’t stopped folklore running wild - and this occasion is likely to be no different.

One thing we can all agree on is that it’s a weird fish.

At 16 feet long, it is regarded as a warning that an earthquake or a tsunami could be on the way, and when one comes ashore dead, locals become scared.

This is especially pertinent right now, as South America and the Caribbean have experienced significant earthquakes and natural disasters already this year.

In 2026, Colombia and Venezuela have been hit by major earthquakes, as well as seismic activity in Peru and Chile.

Why do people call it the 'doomsday fish' then?

It’s not clear, beyond superstition, how this fish earned its name.

It lives in the extreme depths of the ocean, at depths of over 3,000 feet.

They also look like serpents from the deep, which is scary enough.

So, when one comes out of the depths and shows itself to humans, people are scared.

They are also very rare, with just a handful of sightings in the past few decades.

According to a survey from the Bulletin of Southern California Academy of Sciences, just 19 have been seen in California in the past century.

So, when they do turn up, they bring with them a dark portent and people start to wonder what they have dragged up with them from the bottom of the sea.

Online, one person commented: "Here we go again.”

Another said: "An earthquake is coming to the north.”

There is some correlation - or coincidence - behind the theory

Weirdly, or not if you believe in the myth, there is some correlation between oarfish sightings and bad luck or natural disasters.

In August 2025 one washed ashore in Indonesia and six volcanoes erupted six days later.

Two washed ashore in Mexico in February, then in March a 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck, then hurricanes followed later in the year.

Is this indicative of anything at all?

Of course not, but that doesn’t stop the rumors and theories swirling about the mystical fish that brings to the surface the threat of impending natural disaster.

Perhaps it’s just the way our human minds are wired.