A rare oarfish, long associated with doomsday myths, has washed ashore in California for the second time this year, sparking speculation about climate change and natural disasters.

Two incredibly rare - and incredibly strange - oarfish have washed up on California beaches this year. Before now, only 18 had been documented on beaches in the state since 1901. Scientists say changing ocean conditions could have something to do with it.

SFGATE reports how the oarfish — which is an incredibly rare sea creature that can stretch up to 12 feet in length — was spotted on the sand of Grandview Beach in Encinitas a couple of weeks ago. According to a Facebook post published by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography,

A member of the Scripps Oceanography team spotted the dead fish outside of San Diego, California. The fish was estimated to be 9 to 10 feet in length, which was much smaller than the one recovered in La Jolla in August.

This month's sighting was only the 21st time the fish has been documented to have washed up in California since 1901, according to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

In a recent development it has been known that the rare oarfish which is also known as the legendary doom fish and is hugely believed as a signal of disaster washed up on the beaches of California and the citizens are a bit scared.

The proximity of these strandings has reignited discussions about the oarfish's mythical reputation as a predictor of natural disasters.