'Harbinger of doom' fish surfaced off California coast days before earthquake struck

A monstrous sea creature known as the "harbinger of doom" surfaced just off California's coast in La Jolla Cove two days before the August 12 earthquake - sparking new apocalyptic theories.

Kayakers and snorkelers in La Jolla Cove, San Diego , stumbled upon the carcass of a ghastly 12-foot oarfish, an ocean dweller some believe forecasts earthquakes . Myths surrounding the fish say that it's a 'bad omen.'

Those who found it bravely snapped photos with the sad dead beast before notifying experts at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Some have pointed out that this incident happened just two days before the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 4.4-magnitude earthquake near Pasadena that was felt across neighboring counties.

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The Ocean Conservancy points out that encounters with these elusive giants are incredibly infrequent, as their home is in the depths of the sea, and showing up near the coast often means these beasts are sick or in trouble.

Scientists have launched a necropsy to uncover what drove this typically deep-sea juvenile oarfish to the shallows. It's extraordinary for such reclusive sea creatures to be found close to shore since they're usually hidden in oceanic abysses.

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography notes that along with this incident, just 20 oarfish have been seen beached along California since 1901.

As the Ocean Conservatory describes, oarfish are "strikingly large, odd-looking fish boasting a long, shimmering, ribbon-like body that can stretch up to 30 feet in length. This one made its unsettling debut shortly before a consequential earthquake took L.A. by surprise, with the tremor's epicenter landing two miles southwest of Pasadena, California.

This LA quake is attributed to the same tectonic plate that caused last Thursday's tremor in Japan, raising alarms about the possibility of a 'megaquake.'Local emergency teams have called on residents to "be prepared for aftershocks.

"Fortunately, despite the shaking, there were no reports of injuries or significant damage, and the National Weather Service has ruled out the threat of a tsunami.

The quake originated near Highland Park in Los Angeles, with its underground epicenter approximately 7.5 miles (12.1 kilometers). The LAPD took to X/Twitter to announce: "Significant earthquake just felt in the Los Angeles area.

"The earthquake, which had a depth of 7.5 miles, was reportedly felt by many in LA, according to the US Geological Survey's "Felt Report."

A USGS map showed that the tremors could be felt as far as Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Thousand Oaks, Santa Clarita, Bakersfield, Delano, and other nearby locations.