Whales Discovered Before Kamchatka Earthquake
Speculation Spreads on Social Media About Possible Link
After four whales were discovered on a Japanese beach just before a major earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, the view that this could be a precursor to the earthquake has been spreading rapidly on social media (SNS).
Four whales have been washed ashore on the beach in Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on the 30th. Yonhap News
According to a report by the Asahi Shimbun on the 30th, a report was received by the police around 6 p.m. on the 29th that four whales had washed ashore on the beach in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture. These whales, which appeared near the coastline close to the Tokyo metropolitan area, were found alive and measured between 7 and 8 meters in length.
Subsequently, at around 8:25 a.m. on the 30th, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake occurred on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, and posts linking the appearance of the whales to the earthquake quickly spread on social media. Some netizens speculated that "the mass appearance of whales is a precursor to an earthquake."
Regarding this, an official from the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan stated, "The whales discovered appear to be sperm whales," and added, "Although they are occasionally sighted in the waters off Tateyama, it is unusual for four to be washed ashore together." He also said, "If there was unusual noise under the sea before the earthquake, we cannot definitively say what impact it may have had."
However, the Asahi Shimbun pointed out that "such phenomena are difficult to verify scientifically, and an on-site investigation is necessary to determine the cause." In fact, about a week before the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, around 50 melon-headed whales were stranded on the beach in Ibaraki Prefecture near Fukushima, but a university research team denied any connection between this phenomenon and the earthquake.
A representative from a non-profit organization investigating the whale stranding site also emphasized, "Whales are found on the coast about once a day," and "there is no evidence to prove a direct link with earthquakes." He further warned, "If a tsunami were to occur, there may be people visiting the site, but approaching the whales is dangerous as you could be struck by their tail fins."
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