We know the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” However, did you know that it can happen quite literally – although instead of cats and dogs, it’s fish that’s raining down! Yes, it’s not something that always happens, but it’s not an unusual or unheard-of phenomenon.
Many people believe there is something supernatural in such an event – and some even go as far as to assume that it’s a divine occurrence. But truth be told, these fish do not fall from heaven. The fish that rain down actually used to live in lakes and oceans. But how did the fish get into the sky in the first place?
We know you’re curious, so let’s dive right into it!
How Does Fish Fall From the Sky?
The answer to this is actually far more straightforward than most people assume. In most cases, people who have reported a few fish falling from the sky live in areas where large birds that feed on fish are known to hunt and live in. But the phenomenon we’re exploring here is a case of fish literally raining down.
So, what’s really happening?
Scientists have researched this phenomenon and have discovered that it occurs due to a tornado or waterspout. So the fish that rain down don’t condense out of water vapor – they used to live in seas and lakes like all their counterparts.
When a tornado crosses the sea or ocean, they become known as waterspouts that suck up water from any body of water they are over. While doing so, these waterspouts can also suck in fish and other creatures swimming in the water. This severe water storm can draw in fish, crabs, frogs, and turtles with the wind itself above the sky. Tornadoes take some time to reach the sky and even longer to become still. By then, it would have covered a distance of several kilometers.
For this to happen, the weather conditions have to be very strong. Waterspouts can spin at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour and pick up light objects with relative ease. In many cases, animal rain involves aquatic and semi-aquatic animals, with small fish being most common since they tend to swim in large groups, making it easier for the tornado to pick them up and cause a downpour of fishiness.
The tornado can carry the critters for some distance and remain in the sky until the speed of the wind decreases. As the tornado gets weaker and loses energy to hold on to the objects it has carried, the fish begins to rain down on the ground.
Instances of Fish Rain Throughout History
Fish raining down from the sky sounds strange, mysterious, and even funny, but it’s a phenomenon that has been observed to happen about 40 times in different parts of the world throughout history. Generally, it occurs only under specific conditions, such as during a torrential downpour or weather conditions so intense that nobody even dares to go outside.
In 2023, residents of Lajamanu, a town in Australia about 900 kilometers south of Darwin, were puzzled by live fish that rained from the sky. But similar events have occurred previously in Lajamanu in 2010, 2004, and 1974.
In another instance, people in a small village near Kerala, India, were shocked in 2008 when they saw small fish raining down after a sudden downpour. India’s Telangana state experienced a similar incident towards the end of 2022. Likewise, people were left shell-shocked by fish falling from the sky in a city in Texas in 2021.
However, the most famous of all instances of fish rain is the legend of Lluvia de Peces. Every year for the past century or so, the small city of Yoro in Honduras experiences fish rain in May or June. Lluvia de Peces, or “Rain of Fish,” is an annual event where hundreds of fish rain onto the streets after severe thunderstorms. As explained above, there are many scientific reasons behind such an occurrence, but most residents believe it’s a divine miracle of God because this is the only time they get to eat fresh seafood!
Remember, it’s not only fish that can rain down; sometimes frogs, spiders, crabs, and even snakes are reported to have “rained down.” In most cases, the animals involved are dead, but in others, they’re still alive and kicking (or slithering). There was a particularly peculiar instance of a shower of snakes in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1877 and another hail of rats in 1902 in Algeria!
Mother Nature & Her Sense of Humor
All sorts of weird things can fall from the sky – pieces of space debris, frozen waste from airplanes, and even live fish. Fish rain has been recorded throughout history in written accounts, oral traditions, photographs, and now through social media. Yes, it’s a peculiar occurrence, but the weather can create some truly mysterious phenomena. And after all, Mother Nature has her funny way of pulling tricks on us and leaving us awe-struck!
