An unusual weather pattern has caused hundreds of tons of jellyfish to wash ashore along Thinh Long Beach in Hai Hau District, Nam Dinh Province, attracting crowds of residents and visitors eager to harvest the sea’s unexpected bounty.

On May 11, vast numbers of jellyfish drifted close to shore, covering hundreds of meters of beach and surprising both locals and tourists.

According to Nguyen Van Tien, Chairman of Thinh Long Town’s People’s Committee, this rare event followed an unseasonal monsoon accompanied by heavy rain.

“Starting late last night (May 10) through this morning, many jellyfish, some measuring over a meter in length and weighing up to 60kg, began washing ashore. Locals immediately rushed out to collect them,” Tien shared with VietNamNet.

Nguyen Van Tinh, a local fisherman, said, “I’ve lived here for over 40 years and have never seen jellyfish come ashore in such massive numbers. In some spots, they were so densely packed you could just pick them up.”

Initial estimates from Thinh Long’s local authorities suggest that hundreds of tons of jellyfish have been collected between last night and today.

Each jellyfish is sold for about 15,000 to 20,000 VND (roughly 0.60 to 0.80 USD), depending on size, allowing many families to earn several million dong (hundreds of USD) in a single day.

Although individual jellyfish weigh dozens of kilograms, their processed yield is minimal. For instance, a 70kg jellyfish may produce only around 2kg of usable product after cleaning and preparation.

After collection, traders purchase the jellyfish on site for processing or distribution to other provinces for consumption.

According to Tien, this is the first time such a phenomenon has been recorded at Thinh Long Beach, and further observation is necessary to determine the precise cause.

“Typically, boats have to go several hundred meters offshore to catch jellyfish. It’s extremely rare for them to come this close to land. But this year, due to the unusual monsoon, the sea has ‘generously gifted’ residents with large, mature jellyfish,” he said.

Local authorities have advised residents and visitors to exercise caution when handling unfamiliar jellyfish, as some species may cause skin irritation or contain mild toxins.

Officials also emphasized the need for organized collection efforts to minimize environmental impact on the coastal ecosystem.

Bao Khanh - Trong Tung