As a group of fish filling the Dotonbori River in Osaka, Japan, has been spotted, the local atmosphe..

사진 확대 A flock of fish that filled the Dotonbori River in Osaka, Japan. [Capturing SNS]

As a group of fish filling the Dotonbori River in Osaka, Japan, has been spotted, the local atmosphere is shaking with anxiety, with rumors of an earthquake prediction.

According to Japanese media such as Yomiuri TV on the 24th, unidentified fish were seen swimming in groups to the extent that they covered the surface of the Dotonbori River on the 18th.

At that time, tourists and citizens passing by the river stopped at the sudden sight and looked at the river, and a local resident said, “A group of fish suddenly appeared between 6 and 7 a.m.”

Videos of this scene are rapidly spreading through social networking services (SNS) such as X (formerly Twitter). The video showed fish crowded enough to barely see the river.

Some netizens speculated that “it could be a precursor to the earthquake,” referring to the case where a group of fish appeared in the river during the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, but experts believe that “it is likely a movement phenomenon due to natural factors.”

The fish found is likely to be mullet, said Akiko Matsui, a fish expert at the Osaka Museum of Natural History. “The mullet may have moved to the relatively warm Dotonbori River because it is sensitive to changes in water temperature.”