SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — Multiple shark attacks were reported Thursday on South Padre Island during Fourth of July celebrations.
A man suffered a severe shark bite to his leg Thursday around 11 a.m., South Padre Island City Secretary Nikki Soto told The Associated Press. It reportedly happened near Wanna Wanna Beach Bar and Grill.
The man was immediately treated at the beach by the fire and police department and was then taken to a hospital. There's been no update on his condition or the extent of his injuries.
“Currently, the South Padre Island Beach Patrol, fire and police departments are patrolling the shoreline and utilizing drones,” Soto said.
According to CBS News, more attacks have been reported since then, including another person who was treated by paramedics less than half a mile from the first attack.
Local officials said two people were bitten and two more "encountered" the shark but weren't seriously hurt. One of the bit victims was taken to a hospital in Brownsville and the other was "flown out for further treatment."
Based on witness reports and images on social media, Dowdy said, authorities believe a single shark about 6 feet (about 1.8 meters) long was responsible.
The last reported shark attack in the area was five years ago, according to Dowdy.
The Coast Guard advised beachgoers to avoid the water but didn't close any beaches.
"It literally was, like, right there. Twenty to 30 yards away from the surf, from the edge of the surf. It was a big shark," Robert Roman said.
It was the shark believed to have bitten multiple swimmers.
"The police were, like, 'Get out of the water!' And I was actually bodyboarding and we had to swim back," Zayvia Abdoulaye-Brown said.
One of the people with less severe injuries recalled what it felt like.
"I just feel, like, this pressure, like someone punched me or someone pushed the back of my leg and I turn around and there's this shark and he's turning around and we're yelling leaving the water. There's little bite marks on my calf, but I'm alright for now," Victoria Ramos said.
Moody Gardens General Curator Greg Whittaker said the risk of interactions between swimmers and sharks goes up when there are lots of people at the beach.
"With such a large number of incidents at one time you have to manage the situation," he said.
He said the sharks are following the schools of fish, drawing them close to shore, and in turn, closer to people.
"Mostly what we’re seeing are just fish-eating sharks that are just going after small fish and it's just a matter of them going after a school of fish and going through and arm or leg," Whittaker said.
He said there are things to do to keep sharks at bay.
"If you have multiple people together creating more of a disturbance, it tends to scare off some of the bait fish and spook some of the sharks, too," he said. "And you also want to avoid times right at dawn or dusk, when there’s a lower light level, that’s when the feeding activity gets higher and you see more of an aggressive feeding activity across the food chain."
Here's video that appears to show a shark swimming close to the shore: