Two storms approached the City of Texarkana, a town that stretched from Texas to Arkansas, last Wednesday and left a rare mark when fish littered on the ground, as videos shared on social media showed. According to The Independent's report, people wet with their day, although soccer team practice was dismissed early when the rain began to fall heavier.
They initially thought it was hail raining down, but they were astonished to see fish scattered on the ground. This rare phenomenon is called the "animal rain," in which aquatic animals are swept up by waterspouts that form into a storm.
Animal Rain in Texarkana
The City of Texarkana, Texas, shared in a Facebook post a photo of a fish on the ground after being rained down because of the storm. Their caption read: "2021 is pulling out all the tricks... including raining fish in Texarkana today. And no, this isn't a joke."
They recounted the bizarre occurrence that landed several fish in residential areas and further explained that the falling fish resulted from "animal rain," which could also sweep frogs, crabs, and other small fish up in waterspouts or drafts.
James Audirsch, a worker at the used car dealership Orr Maxx in Texas, told the local news outlet WCIA that he was working at that time when he heard loud noises outside. He recalled that it was as loud as thunder, and when he opened up the bay door, it was already raining hard with some fish hitting the ground.
Furthermore, other people also posted or shared photos of small, dead fish on the ground, wherein some areas even had dozens of them near their area. Some of the fish found were four to five inches long, and experts said that the fish looked like the young white bass.
It's Raining Animals! Experts Explain Concept Behind This Rare Meteorological Event
Although it sounds so weird, animal rain is a real and rare weather phenomenon that happens due to waterspouts or updrafts. Small animals get swept up to these strong winds and fall to Earth with raindrops. Some reported animals which were victims of animal rain include bats, frogs, and jellies.
Gary Chatelian, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, told the Gazette that small, flightless animals were picked up with the wind and come down like most debris. These animals could have come from anywhere, even not from the area where they landed.
According to Mail Online, this rare event did not only happen in the US but also other countries. For instance, Australia experienced the same phenomenon last year when farmers from the rural town of Yowah, west of Brisbane, Queensland, found small fish flapping in puddles after Tropical Cyclone Esther hit them in February 24.
Jeff Johnson, an ichthyologist from Queensland Museum, said that rains of fish are a common feat in inland Australia. Usually, fish caught in the animal rain would disperse when the rains come and even swim for kilometers to water-filled tracks.
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