Australian town witnesses fish 'rained from sky', locals claim 'blessing from Lord', say reports

The inhabitants of a distant outback settlement in Australia were amazed by a remarkable weather phenomenon where fish fell from the sky, which while uncommon, is not entirely unprecedented. People living in Lajamanu, a town situated on the northern fringes of the Tanami Desert, approximately 560 kilometres to the southwest of Katherine, expressed their surprise at witnessing fish falling from the sky amidst a spell of intense precipitation, according to reports.

Lajamanu local and Central Desert councillor, Andrew Johnson Japanangka said in a statement that a big storm was heading up to his community and locals thought it was just rain. But when the rain started falling locals witnessed fish falling down as well, he claimed.

Similar incidents have taken place through the community in the past. The same thing happened at Lajamanu in 2010, and it was previously recorded in 2004 and 1974.


According to weather experts, such incidents can be caused by massive updrafts like tornadoes which carry water and fish (other water bodies too) and transfer it to hundreds of kilometres away.

Was the fish alive after it fell?

The fishes were about "the size of two fingers" and as per Japanangka, they were still alive.

While Japanangka had experienced the event before, he claimed it never stopped to amaze him. An excited Japanangka said that the incident was a "blessing from the Lord."

What happened 40 years ago?

Penny McDonald, who is a native of Alice Spring, claimed that she was in Lajamanu when a similar incident occurred in the mid-1980s. She claimed that streets outside her home were covered in fish at that time.

Speaking of their size and how many fishes must have been at that time, she said they were small fish and were a lot of them around.

Not an unusual occurrence

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory’s Michael Hammer, claimed that he has examined cases like this before. Often people have witnessed fish scattered everywhere after a spell of rain, he claimed.

Hammer claimed it was "not unusual" for fish to rain down alive, as long as they weren't raised too high and frozen in mid-air. He said that that it depends on the local weather patterns.

FAQs:

1. What are some other instances of raining fish?
   2020’s Queensland town, Yowah also claimed of raining fish.
2. What is the population of Lajamanu?
   According to 2016 Australian census, the population was estimated to be 606.