Thousands of millipedes swarm Taiwan park, said to be sign of impending earthquakes

Thousands of millipedes swarm forest floor in Taiwan park

In the wake of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked Hualien on 3 April and the multiple earthquakes that followed, sleepless nights have become a norm for residents in Taiwan who are still besieged by aftershocks.

Amidst this seismic unrest, a peculiar sight captured the attention of those in Shei-Pa National Park.

In a Facebook video posted on Sunday (28 April), a sea of millipedes was seen swarming the forest floor.

Given that such occurrences can signal significant environmental shifts, netizens voiced concerns about the potential for impending earthquakes.

Tour group mistakes millipedes for dry grass at first

According to United Daily News, Yang Xiaozhong, a tour guide from the nearby Sheipa Leisure Farm, spotted the millipedes while leading a tour group on the Dalu Forest Road on Saturday (27 April).

At first, they thought it was just dry grass stirred up after the heavy rain.

Upon closer inspection, however, they realised it was a massive swarm of millipedes crawling across the ground, stretching approximately 40 to 50 metres.

Mr Yang, a tour guide of 11 years, told local media that while he had encountered millipedes on the trail before, this was his first time seeing such a large group in motion.

The sight left him with goosebumps, prompting a sense of foreboding about a potential major event.

‘No need to panic’: Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration

In the Facebook post’s caption, the sharer cautioned the public to avoid mountain climbing and to steer clear of rivers, suggesting a potential link between the incident and an impending earthquake or storm.

The video sparked a flurry of online discourse, with numerous netizens attributing ominous significance to the millipede migration amidst the current seismic turmoil in the country.

Comments expressing concern and speculating about the event possibly signaling a forthcoming major earthquake inundated social media platforms.

Addressing the growing concerns, Sheipa Leisure Farm posted a clarification on Sunday via Facebook.

It attributed the phenomenon to environmental factors such as seasonal transitions and fluctuations in underground pressures and moisture levels, assuring visitors of its recurrent — albeit benign — nature.

Echoing this sentiment, Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration reassured the public that there is “no need to panic excessively”.

The forecasting institution added that earthquakes cannot be predicted solely based on this phenomenon.

Wu Liwei, an associate professor at Taiwan’s Tunghai University in the Department of Life Sciences, also noted that millipede migration is not unusual in Taiwan.

Such migrations typically occur in response to significant changes in their habitat, such as food shortages or environmental shifts.

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Featured image adapted from 我是頭份人 on Facebook and Yang Xiaozhong via United Daily News.