Why should this be symbolic?
I know that some people have a problem with supernatural miracles but, having had experience of such things in real life I do not have any problems at all. God is sovereign of HIs universe and therefore free to make or break whatever He wants. Besides, many of the Biblical miracles that were deemed “impossible” can now be explained by modern science, so who is to say that other things might not have an explanation as our knowledge increases?
Richard