Large barramundi fish fell onto the town of Lajamanu at the edge of the desert alongside heavy rainfall.
Some fish carcasses fell to the ground. (Photo: Cyril Tasman).
Residents of Lajamanu, a town located at the northern edge of the Tanami Desert, 560 km southwest of Katherine, were taken by surprise as they witnessed fish falling during a heavy rainstorm, according to First Post on February 23. Andrew Johnson Japanangka, a member of the town council, reported that a significant storm swept through the area. When the rain began to pour, the fish fell as well. This is not the first occurrence of fish rain in this location; similar events were recorded in the town in 1974, 2004, and 2010.
Weather experts suggest that such phenomena may be caused by tornadoes. The tornado sucks up water and fish from rivers and creeks, then causes the fish to fall hundreds of kilometers away. Japanangka noted that fish measuring at least two fingers long were still alive when they hit the ground. Some even swam in the puddles left by the rain. Many others landed on rooftops.
Lajamanu is not the only place to experience fish rain. In 2020, the town of Yowah in Queensland, located 950 km from Brisbane, also experienced a fish rain event.
Michael Hammer, the fish display manager at the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery, mentioned that he has studied such events in the past. According to him, it’s not unusual for fish to remain alive when they hit the ground, as long as they are not lifted too high and frozen in mid-air. The condition of the fish depends on the local weather conditions.
Jeff Johnson, a ichthyologist at the Queensland Museum, stated that the fish that fell in Lajamanu belong to the barramundi species, one of the most popular freshwater fish in Australia. While fish rain is indeed real, the occurrence of large fish falling to the ground remains quite rare. “Barramundi are relatively large fish and cannot be sucked up from the water or held in the air for long periods. But clearly, that is what happened,” Johnson said.
Hammer speculated that the frequency of such phenomena may increase across Australia.
