Oarfish Stranding in Lombok Reignites Earthquake Omen Myth

The appearance of an oarfish on Pink Beach, Sekaroh Village, East Lombok, on August 25, 2026, has reignited an old myth that the deep-sea fish is an omen of earthquakes. The long, flat, and silvery body of the creature was discovered by a group of children at the water's edge, and a video of the find subsequently spread widely on social media. Some residents connected the sighting to the earthquake that shook Flores approximately two weeks prior. This speculation arises because oarfish are known to inhabit deep waters and are rarely seen by humans. When these fish surface or become stranded, their presence is often considered a warning of disaster. Oarfish of the genus Regalecus generally consist of two main species. Regalecus glesne is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and can grow to over 11 meters. Meanwhile, Regalecus russellii is more commonly found in Japan, East Asia, and the Western Pacific. These fish inhabit the mesopelagic to bathypelagic zones, approximately 200–1,000 meters below the sea surface. This habitat is characterized by minimal sunlight, low temperatures, and very high water pressure, making encounters with oarfish rare. According to Sukuryadi, Head of the Environmental Science Study Program at the Postgraduate School of Universitas Muhammadiyah Mataram, the appearance of oarfish in shallow waters is more likely influenced by changes in the marine environment. "There is no connection to earthquakes; perhaps anomalies from global warming are impacting habitat changes and degradation," he stated. Changes in temperature, currents, oxygen levels, water quality, and food availability can disrupt deep-sea organisms. Under certain conditions, such disruptions are suspected to cause the animals to lose their orientation or move towards shallower waters. The myth of oarfish as an earthquake predictor also exists in Japan. In local folklore, the fish...