TEXARKANA, Texas: Residents of Texarkana reported that fish fell from the skies on December 29, landing on sidewalks, atop cars and in back yards.

On its Facebook page, the City of Texarkana, located some 200 miles from Dallas, posted, “2021 is pulling out all the tricks including raining fish in Texarkana today. And no, this isn’t a joke,”

City officials noted that raining fish is a phenomenon called “animal rain.” This occurs when small water animals, such as frogs, crabs or small fish, are propelled skywards by waterspouts, defined as a rotating column of water and spray formed by a whirlwind occurring over a body of water.

Resident James Audirsch told television station WCIA he was working at a used car dealership when he heard loud noises outside.

“There was a loud crack of thunder and when we opened up the bay door, I looked outside and it was raining real hard and a fish hit the ground,” he said.

Another person posted a video on Twitter captioned, “Yep. It rained fish at my house, too.”

Fish also fell from the sky in 2017, teachers and students at an elementary school in Oroville, California, reported, counting 100 fish that landed on the school’s playground and roof.

“While it’s uncommon, it happens, as evidenced in several places in Texarkana today,” the city of Texarkana wrote in the Facebook post. “And please, for the sake of everyone, let’s tiptoe into 2022 as quietly as possible.”