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'Another chapter in Revelations?': Bizarre clip showing 'rain of worms' sparks wild theories

Residents were seen shielding themselves with umbrellas as they went ahead with their routines and walked past the scene

BEIJING, CHINA: Residents of the Chinese province of Liaoning were apparently told to find shelter and use umbrellas after what seemed like a deluge of worms in the city. A bizarre clip that has now gone viral showed the area covered with little worms, which were splattered over cars along the sidewalk. Residents were seen shielding themselves with umbrellas as they walked past the scene.

The exact cause of the apparent calamity was yet to be established at the time of publication, but the scientific journal Mother Nature suggested the animals could have been dropped after being swept up by strong gusts of wind. The periodical also said such occurrences happen after a storm when insects are caught up in a whirlpool. Another theory was that the area was actually littered with poplar flowers, a tulip tree whose blooms reportedly resemble worms. 

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'Rain of worms'

The video in question was shared on Twitter by The Rio Times, which wrote that a "rain of worms" had flooded Beijing this week.

Some were in agreement that they were indeed worms falling out of the sky, even drawing Biblical comparisons. "Oh cool. Another chapter in Revelation is happening," one declared. "This looks like a plague my friends. Repent and accept Jesus into your hearts before it is too late," another agreed.

"It is rare but not impossible for earthworms to fall from the sky during rain, a phenomenon called 'earthworm rain,'" someone else offered. "This usually occurs when specific weather conditions occur, such as strong winds that lift the earthworms and carry them into the clouds, where they can be carried long distances before falling back to the ground with the rain," they added

Others, however, were convinced the clip was fake and that the "worms" were in fact flower stalks dropped from trees.

"I'm in Beijing and this video is fake. Beijing hasn't got rainfall these days," one responded. "Gosh please, the car plates are marked with 辽 (Liaoning) not 京 (Beijing). And these are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees," another insisted. "It's so fake! It hasn't rained in Beijing for a long time! Where did you get it? Is the United States scared?" someone else chimed in.

Raining animals

Reports of raining animals date back to ancient civilizations, according to the Library of Congress. It doesn't literally mean that animals are "raining" down like water, considering no one has seen frogs or fish vaporize into the atmosphere before rainfall. However, scientists believe strong winds such as those in a tornado or hurricane are strong enough to lift animals, people, trees, and even houses -- and so it is possible they could suck up worms or fish and "rain" them elsewhere.

A similar event took place last December when it was believed colder temperatures could cause iguanas to rain down from trees, the New York Post reported. “They slow down or become immobile when it’s below 40,” WFTV meteorologist Brian Shields explained on Twitter last winter. “They may fall from trees, but they aren’t dead.”

The phenomenon is reportedly common when colder weather hits the Sunshine State, with the sudden drop in temperatures causing the reptiles to become stiff and tumble to the ground. However, the thermometer plunges only stun the cold-blooded animals and they will mostly wake up as temperatures return to normal.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.