Ever since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak, anything and everything we see is associated with this novel virus. The cyber world is undoubtedly filled with news, photos and videos related to COVID-19 and many find it difficult to know what's true and what's not.
COVID-19 has also fueled quite a lot of rumors and superstitions among the netizens. Now, images showing Coronavirus-shaped hailstones have started doing the rounds on social media.
According to reports, the hailstorm occurred in municipal Montemorelos in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The images show hailstones with spikes, just like how COVID-19 is represented. Meanwhile, netizens have been sharing images of similar Coronavirus-shaped hailstones from different parts of the world including Saudi Arabia, though it cannot be verified.
However, according to meteorology experts, hailstones with such spikes are not a unique sight. It is understood that spikey hailstones occur as swirling ice smash into other bits of swirling ice. "During very strong storms when the hailstone is already quite big and smash together, many of them fuse together, smashing together and squashing each other, forming spikes of ice", meteorologist Jose Miguel Vinas is quoted as saying by The Mirror.
Nevertheless, the weird-looking hailstones have shocked many Mexicans, who believe it to be divine intervention. They even call it the 'Sign of God suggesting them to stay home' in these difficult times due to the pandemic. "Coronavirus-shaped hailstones are seen as a sign from God. Not by anyone I know, they aren't (sic)," commented a netizen.
Photos of Coronavirus-shaped Hailstorms
Coronavirus in Mexico
As of May 21, there are 11,628 active cases being reported from Mexico, out of which 378 are in critical condition. Meanwhile, the virus infection has already claimed the lives of 6,090 people in the country alone. Despite the increasing number of cases, the authorities have apparently lifted the lockdown restrictions in approximately 300 municipalities throughout the country to restart economic activities.
