Was Nature Trying To Warn Us? 5 Belugas Found Ashore Before Earthquake Hits Russia

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An 8.8 earthquake hit Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, causing tsunami warnings. Viral video shows beluga whales ashore, sparking debate on their disaster sensing abilities.
An earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale, one of the biggest ever recorded, struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, July 30. The epicentre of the earthquake was 20.7 kilometres deep, around 119 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the Associated Press. The powerful tremor prompted tsunami warnings in multiple nations, including the United States, Japan, Chile, and New Zealand. Japan and US agencies first recorded the earthquake's magnitude as 8.0, but the US Geological Survey later upgraded it to 8.8.
In this vein, a viral video has sparked debate on social media, with many believing that a group of beluga whales washing ashore in Kamchatka, Russia, may have been a warning sign for the recent 8.8 magnitude earthquake that triggered a tsunami in the region.
The video, which has been widely shared online, shows five beluga whales, including a calf, stranded on the shore in Kamchatka. The whales presumably ventured into shallow waters and failed to swim out as the tide receded, resulting in them becoming beached. In the clip, a group of fishermen can be seen keeping the whales moist with seawater and helping them swim back to the ocean as the high tide returns.
The incident is claimed to have occurred a day before the massive earthquake hit Kamchatka, with some users pointing out that the location of the whale stranding was near the epicentre of the earthquake. This has sparked discussion over whether animals sensed the disaster before it struck.
Many social media users have expressed their views on the incident, with some believing that the belugas' unusual behaviour was a 'sign" or warning of the impending disaster. Some users have taken to social media to share their thoughts, with one user posting, 'THE ANIMALS WARNED US – AND WE DIDN'T LISTEN. Just yesterday, five beluga whales washed ashore in Kamchatka, Russia, the exact epicentre of today's record-shattering magnitude 8.8 earthquake. Nature always knows first. This was the warning."
Another said, 'Five beluga whales washed ashore in Kamchatka just a day before the 8.8 earthquake. Nature gave us a warning, but we failed to listen."
'Animals as Earthquake Sensors: Beluga Whales and the Kamchatka Quake. Just a day before the powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Kamchatka, Russia, an unusual and haunting event occurred—five beluga whales mysteriously washed ashore along the coast, directly at the earthquake's epicenter," the third user posted.
However, the authenticity of the video remains unverified, with some suggesting it could be an old clip.
About Belugas
The beluga, also known as the white whale, stands out from other whales due to its pearly colour. When beluga puppies are born, they are grey or brown, but as they grow, they gradually fade to white, a process that is normally completed by the age of five. Another distinguishing trait of the beluga is its huge, round, squishy forehead, known as a melon. Belugas are extremely social creatures that live in pods or groups made up of family and friends.
What Is The Animals' Secret Ability To Detect Earth's Magnetic Field?
For decades, scientists have been perplexed by animals' capacity to detect the Earth's magnetic field, which aids organisms such as birds, sea turtles, lobsters, and even some plants in finding direction, migrating, and navigating long distances. While the phenomenon is widely observed in nature, humans do not appear to share this sensory skill in any visible or practical way.
There have been several instances across the world where animals have exhibited unusual behaviour before natural disasters struck. Some notable examples include:
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Earthquake in China (1975): In 1975, the city of Haicheng in China became one of the most well-known examples of how animal behaviour was used to anticipate earthquakes. Around one lakh people were evacuated when authorities discovered odd and nervous behaviour in animals. Only hours later, a devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck, destroying over 90% of the city.
Tsunami (2004): The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami devastated coastal communities, killing 2,25,000 people across 12 countries. While manmade warning systems failed, many animals seemed to sense the impending disaster. Eyewitnesses reported elephants, flamingos, dogs, buffalo, cows, goats, cats, and birds fleeing to higher ground or moving inland before the tsunami struck. In Thailand's Bang Koey village, buffalo suddenly pricked their ears, gazed out to sea, and stampeded to a nearby hill minutes before the tsunami hit. Survivors followed the animals' lead, and many believe their behaviour served as a natural warning system, potentially saving lives.
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First Published:
July 30, 2025, 12:32 IST
News viral Was Nature Trying To Warn Us? 5 Belugas Found Ashore Before Earthquake Hits Russia
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