Ten people were wounded after piranhas surged into a popular bathing spot in a river on Sunday. The marauding fish took swimmers in Brazil’s Paraguacu River in the northeast state of Bahia by surprise, leaving most of the victims with injuries to their feet and ankles. Historically, attacks there have been rare, leading authorities in the municipality of Iacu to close stretches of river, erect signs warning people of the danger, and launch a study to better understand what happened. According to the Daily Mail, a nearby food and drink stand said in a statement, “When the first incidents involving attacks on bathers started occurring, we assisted them and directed them to the nearest health centre. We also informed all the customers who were under parasols we had hired or in the water about the dangers of remaining in the river. We closed up early due to what happened.” It added that it would be withholding some of its services “until there’s further clarity on what is causing these attacks.”
