TVNZ, Thursday September 16, 2010
It sounds like the stuff of myth and legend, but there are plenty of scientific studies and research about strange phenomena that occur before an earthquake.
 |
| Source: Reuters |
In Asian countries where earthquakes occur frequently, folklore of legends about earthquake precursor phenomena are abundant.
The old Japanese legend of the earthquake cat fish is one of them. It tells of a large cat fish living underground that causes earthquakes whenever it moves.
Studies recall cat fish violently jumping and twisting out of the water before an earthquake strikes.
Dr Neil Whitehead, one of the world's leading scientists on pre-earthquake phenomena told TV ONE's Close Up that cat fish are very sensitive to very low frequency electromagnetic waves, and that this may create unusual behaviour.
 |
Catfish, locally called `lele` |
"Normally cat fish lurk by a bank," he said, but if there were earthquakes, "they go berserk".
He also said changes in weather, water levels, strange animal behaviour and strange electrical movements, such as clocks ticking backwards, have been recorded before an earthquake.
"It could be explained by physical principals."
Whitehead is calling for Canterbury residents to submit their own stories of strange pre-earthquake phenomena on his website.
Related Articles:
