Video from the Chinese port-city of Zhoushan neighbouring Shanghai shows the sky turned blood-red under thick layers of fog.
Panic could be heard in the voices of the residents as they recorded the discoloured horizon, stirring apocalyptic fears.
The crimson sky was most prominent by the port, prompting worries that a fire had got out of control.
The red sky became a top trending topics on China’s Twitter-like social media, Sina Weibo, attracting more than 150 million views.
On Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, users called the red sky a bad omen over China’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, resurgent in neighbouring Shanghai.
One user said it means: ‘Accidents will happen’, with another adding. ‘I started to stock up on supplies.’
But local media explained the strange weather phenomena was not a sign of Armageddon but in fact a result of light refraction.
Blood red sky blankets city near Shanghai sparking Armageddon fears. The crimson sky was most prominent by the port, prompting worries that a fire had got out of control
Fish are videoed writhing by the port as the red light illuminates the city.
The lighting may have come from a fishing boat that was harvesting Pacific saury, according to local media quoting China Aquatic Products Zhoushan Marine Fisheries
The rare weather phenomena attracted millions of views on Chinese social media, trending on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, and attracting more than 150 million views. Local media explained the strange weather phenomena was not a sign of Armageddon but in fact a result of light refraction