A rare oarfish, often associated with myths predicting natural disasters, has washed up on a beach in the Canary Islands, prompting concern among locals and online commentators.

A rare “doomsday” creature known as the oarfish has washed ashore in the Canary Islands, sparking fear that a disaster is on our doorstep. Generally residing at depths of up to almost 1000m, this elusive fish was found by bathers on the coast of Playa Quemada, as seen in a video with over 9 million views on Instagram, Jam Press reported.

A rare, shimmering oarfish was spotted at Baja California Sur beach in Mexico earlier this month, a fish that some believe is a signal of an impending disaster. Oarfish are typically found in the depths of the ocean,

An oarfish, known as a ‘doomsday fish’, was found on the Playa El Quemado beach in Baja California Sur. A video of the fish has gone viral, sparking concerns.