In 2012, prawns rained down on Sri Lanka during a storm, surprising residents and adding to the catalog of animal rain events in South Asia. The prawns were likely swept up from coastal waters by a waterspout and deposited miles inland. The event was reported in local media and became a topic of conversation across the island.

The Sri Lankan prawn rain was noted in contemporary South Asian poetry, where it became a symbol of the strange and bountiful nature of the monsoon. The event resonated with the region's rich tradition of nature poetry, from the ancient Sangam texts to the modern works of poets like Kamala Das and Nissim Ezekiel.