'Doomsday' Oarfish Found on Lombok's Pink Beach, Suspected Link to NTT Earthquake
An oarfish measuring around four metres in length was found dead, washed up on Pink Beach in East Lombok. The head of the Marine and Fisheries Agency (DKP) of NTB, Muslim, suspects that the appearance of the fish, known as the ‘doomsday’ fish, is linked to the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
Muslim said the appearance of an oarfish in NTB is extremely rare. According to him, the deep-sea fish can rise to the surface due to changes in water temperature.
“This fish lives in the deep sea. It may have surfaced because of a change in temperature, the temperature of the waters,” Muslim said when met on Wednesday (26/8/2026).
According to Muslim, the change in sea water temperature that triggered the oarfish’s appearance at Pink Beach could also be caused by weather or earthquakes. He then linked the fish’s appearance to the earthquake that occurred in NTT on Saturday (15/8/2026).
“Temperature changes can occur because of an earthquake as well. Coincidentally, the earthquake in NTT has just ended. We are along the entire southern region, all facing the Indian Ocean, on the same tectonic plate as NTT,” he said.
Muslim said the appearance of the oarfish is assumed to be one indication related to the impact of the earthquake in NTT.
“So we are on the same plate as NTT. We assume that the fish’s appearance is possibly one indication related to the recent NTT earthquake,” Muslim stressed.
Oarfish Myth
The appearance of oarfish is often associated with the myth of being a sign of disaster, even ‘doomsday’. However, Muslim stressed that this belief has not been scientifically proven.
“Because this myth has not been scientifically proven. We pray that nothing will happen,” Muslim stressed.
Muslim said the suspected link between the appearance of oarfish and potential disasters needs to be researched further by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Academics are also considered able to be involved in the research.
“Hopefully it can be investigated by academics and BRIN. To conduct a deeper study on what the connection is between this fish and potential disasters, for example. This also needs to be proven,” he stressed.
According to Muslim, oarfish typically live in the sea at depths of 200 metres to more than 1 kilometre. Fish that live at depths of around 1,000 metres will not survive long when they rise to the surface.
“So when it rises, the potential for death is high. So if a deep-sea fish rises to the surface and is affected near the shore, there is little chance it will survive for long,” he stressed.
Muslim could not yet confirm whether NTB waters are a habitat for oarfish. However, according to him, NTB waters are traversed by various marine life from the Indian Ocean to the Australian seas.
“This is one route, including marine life, turtles, whales, sharks. We have a map of their migration routes. So Indonesian seas are connected to Japan, China and Australia,” he concluded.
Oarfish Found by Visitors
The oarfish was previously found dead by visitors to Pink Beach, Sekaroh Village, Jerowaru District, East Lombok, on Tuesday (25/8/2026) at around 07.30 Wita.
The discovery of the rare fish, measuring around four metres in length, then went viral on social media. In a video uploaded to the Facebook account @Baiq Kolby, the flat-shaped fish can be seen being carried by a group of children and an adult man. The fish appeared to be motionless.
The Head of Telone Hamlet, Sekaroh Village, Sahlan, confirmed the discovery. He said the fish was found by beach visitors from Central Lombok.
“It was found this morning. The ones who found it were not our residents, but outsiders who came to camp from last night, visitors,” Sahlan explained when contacted by detikBali on Tuesday (25/8/2026).
Sahlan said the fish that caused a stir among visitors is suspected to be an oarfish. He admitted it was the first time he had seen such a fish.
“This is the first time I have seen it. Finally, we searched on Google and found that it is called an oarfish,” he concluded.