11 March 2023 , 10:50
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Residents of a town in China have been told to seek shelter after what looked like worms rained down from above.
Officials in the Chinese province of Liaoning, which borders North Korea, has been showered with little worms, which were seen splattered all over cars.
Locals were seen covering up and hoisting umbrellas as they carry on their daily routines.
Though the reason for the bizarre phenomenon is yet to be revealed, the Mother Nature Network journal said the creepy crawlies were dropped on cities after being swept up by heavy winds.
The study noted that it can also happen when insects get caught in a whirlpool.
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Officials advised people in Liaoning to seek shelter (Twitter)
A nature journal said the worms had been swept up by strong winds (Twitter)Other theories include that the slimy creatures were actually the bloom of a tulip tree, otherwise known as poplar flowers, which resembles worms.
One person explained: "These are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees.”
Others claimed the video was faked and may have been a prank.
Taking it seriously, one social media user chimed in: “If i was just minding my business on a casual day in China and it started raining worms ?? I’d just die.”
In the US in 2015, thousands of worms appeared in huge clumps in another strange phenomena that stumped biologists.
They appeared in a straight line along a road in the middle of Eisenhower State Park in Texas after recent floods.
Initially, rangers thought someone had carelessly dumped piles of spaghetti, but when they took a closer look were shocked to find the wriggly creatures.
No-one knows how the worms got there, or why they formed in such a perfect alignment.
Superintendent Ben Herman told ABC News: "We’re still puzzled why they decided to line up in the middle of the road.
"Even our biologist doesn’t know why they’re spaced so well and in the line.
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"We were all fascinated by what happened. It was pretty entertaining to watch the worms do their thing."
The worms remained in the spot for two days before eventually retreating back into the soil.
Last December, similar scenes played out in Florida when iguanas were thought to have rained down from trees due to colder weather.
WFTV meteorologist Brian Shields said: “They slow down or become immobile when it’s below 40.
“They may fall from trees, but they aren’t dead.”
The drop in temperatures stun the reptiles but they usually don't die, waking up when temperatures rise.