Citizens in the Chinese province of Liaoning were reportedly told to seek shelter after the city witnessed a bizarre phenomenon, as worm-like creatures or objects rained from the skies. In a viral video clip, what looked like earthworms were seen scattered all over cars and on the streets of Liaoning. People walking on the streets were seen carrying umbrellas to protest themselves from the “worm rain”.
According to the scientific journal Mother Nature Network, the most likely explanation of the incident is that they were swept up by heavy winds and then dropped throughout the city. This, the journal stated, happens when insects are caught up in a whirlpool, during a storm.
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Some people suggested that the slimy-looking things were not worms but poplar flowers – a tulip tree whose blooms resemble earthworms.
“These are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees,” a user said on Twitter.
“The things that fall from poplar trees in spring are not caterpillars, but inflorescences of poplar trees. When poplar flower spikes start to fall, it means that they are about to bloom,” wrote another user.
Meanwhile, others on the micro-blogging website debated that while it may not be the case here, it is not impossible for a “worm rain” to actually take place.
“It is rare but not impossible for earthworms to fall from the sky during rain, a phenomenon called "earthworm rain." 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,” a user said.
According to a New York Post report, a similar odd event went down last December when it was believed that iguanas could rain down from trees in Florida due to colder temperatures. The report said that it is not uncommon when colder weather hits the Sunshine state. When temperatures drop, the reptiles become stiff and tumble to the ground.
