Imagine a wild storm, the kind that whips through mountains with furious intent. Now, picture something even more bizarre: fish falling from the sky. This isn’t a scene from a fantasy novel; it’s a phenomenon that has baffled scientists and amazed witnesses for centuries. From the rugged Welsh mountains to the bustling streets of Singapore, accounts of “raining fish” defy logic and ignite curiosity.
A Welsh Deluge: John Lewis’s Unforgettable Day
On a blustery February 9, 1859, a fierce storm lashed Ash Bwll Mountain in Wales. John Lewis, a timber worker, hurried to find shelter from the torrential rain. As he ran, he felt small objects pelting down from the clouds. Reaching up to adjust his cap, he found a fish trapped in the brim. Stunned, he looked around. Hundreds of small fish were leaping in the puddles formed by the downpour.
After the storm subsided, Lewis and his colleagues collected the fish in baskets and wooden boxes. Ten minutes later, the skies opened again, raining more live fish! The local newspapers the next day carried detailed accounts of this extraordinary event, validating Lewis’s unbelievable experience. This incident, while remarkable, was far from isolated.
Ancient Accounts and Modern Mysteries
The phenomenon of raining fish has a long and documented history. Ancient Greek historians, such as Phonyas in the 2nd century AD, recorded instances where it rained fish for three consecutive days. Another historian, Phylarchus, noted multiple occurrences of fish falling from the sky. These historical records suggest that this peculiar event is not a new anomaly but a recurring natural wonder.
Fast forward to February 1861, when a violent earthquake rattled the island of Singapore, followed by six days of incessant rain. French scientist François de Castelnau, conducting research there at the time, presented his observations to the Paris Academy of Sciences:
“From my window, I saw a large number of Chinese collecting fish from shallow puddles. When I asked them about the source of these fish, they replied that they had fallen from the sky.”
Three days later, as the puddles dried, numerous dead fish were found, further corroborating the locals’ claims.
More recently, in October 1947, American marine biologist Alen Bajkov witnessed fish falling with the rain while having breakfast with his wife in a café in Marksville, Louisiana.
Global Oddities: From Dried Fish to Icy Carp
The phenomenon isn’t limited to live fish. In 1830s India, two instances of dried fish falling from the sky were recorded. In Essen, Germany, in 1896, carp, still fresh and encased in ice cubes, descended from above.
The strangest reports involve fish falling from clear, sunny skies. While it’s plausible for whirlwinds and tornadoes to lift light objects from the earth’s surface, the mechanism by which fish are drawn from the depths of seas and lakes, carried to high altitudes, and then dropped back to earth for days, even long after a storm has passed, remains an enduring mystery.
The Unanswered Question: How Does it Happen?
Scientists hypothesize that powerful updrafts within tornadoes or waterspouts could be responsible. These rotating columns of air, often extending from thunderclouds to the ground or a body of water, can act like powerful vacuum cleaners. They might suck up water, along with any aquatic life, from lakes, ponds, or even shallow coastal areas. The fish are then carried aloft within the storm clouds until the winds lose their energy, or the fish are released as the storm dissipates, sometimes many miles from their original habitat.
However, the instances of fish falling from clear skies or long after a storm raises questions that current theories struggle to fully explain. How are fish sustained in the upper atmosphere for extended periods, and what precise conditions lead to their release without the presence of an active storm?
The phenomenon of raining fish continues to captivate and challenge our understanding of atmospheric processes. It serves as a powerful reminder of the many wonders and unexplained mysteries that our planet holds.
