Shark attacks in Texas and Florida cause beachgoers to panic

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Florida – As more people seek shelter from the heat in the sea, shark bites are becoming more common this summer. In the last few weeks alone, there have been seven attacks between the beaches of Florida and Texas.

The latest shark attack occurred Monday in Volusia County, Florida. A 14-year-old boy was bitten during a lifeguard training exercise in Ponce Inlet. He told FOX 35 Orlando he jumped into the water and hit the shark. The teen required 17 stitches in his calf.

The bite was the third over the Fourth of July weekend in Volusia County. The other two bites occurred in New Smyrna Beach, known as the shark capital of the world.

On July 4, four swimmers were attacked by sharks over a period of two hours on South Padre Island in Texas.

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Tabatha Sullivent, one of the four victims, told FOX News she lost her leg in the attack. Her husband was also bitten by the shark as he tried to pull her out of the water.

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Despite the recent attacks, Volusia County Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs said lifeguards are more concerned about rip currents than sharks, Florida’s number one weather-related killer. Since last week, lifeguards have rescued about 500 people from rip currents and heavy surf. One weekend in June, six Florida visitors died due to heavy surf and rip currents.

Malphurs said Volusia County Beach Safety will make announcements asking people to leave the water if they see large numbers of sharks in the area.

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“If you’re out at sea and see birds swooping down and feeding on baitfish, you may want to temporarily leave the area,” Mulphers said.

Experts recommend avoiding murky water and not wearing shiny jewelry in the water to avoid confusing sharks.