LOCALS and beach goers at Kampung Jangkit in Kuala Penyu, Kota Kinabalu were startled to find tens of thousands of jellyfish washed ashore, with some still alive.
Pictures of the strange phenomenon have since gone viral on social media while locals in the area are worried and afraid as this was not something they had witnessed before.
According to reports, some of the jellyfish were washed up on the beach, while some were still floating in the water.
About four years ago, a similar incident occurred along the popular Mawilla Beach in Labuan where these rarely-seen jellyfish were washed ashore.
Locals at that time referred to the orange-coloured jellyfish as 'sea tomato jellyfish' and experts reportedly said they could cause skin irritation, allergy and discomfort.
The public was warned not to touch the beached jellyfish although they were dead.
The phenomenon at the time was linked to strong wind and wave conditions, causing the jellyfish to be transported to shallow waters near the beach.
According to Bernama reports at the time, The jellyfish are said to be weak swimmers and thus, unable to resist the wave motion, causing them to be washed ashore. - The Vibes, March 28, 2024