The freshwater fish that are known for their sharp teeth and a voracious appetite for meat Piranhas have infested the popular beach river of western Brazil and have bitten about 15 unwary swimmers!
Officials in the city of Caceres in Mato Grosso state said this is the first time they have had a problem with piranhas at the Daveron beach on the Paraguay river, where the aggressive fish began schooling about two weeks ago because each September, Caceres hosts what local officials bill as Brazil’s biggest fishing festival, a weeklong event that draws 200,000 people for fishing tournaments and concerts.
“I took a dip in the river and when I stood up, I felt pain in my foot, and I saw that I had lost the tip of my toe. I took off running out of the river, afraid that I would be further attacked because of the blood. I’m not going back in for a long time.” one of the victim, Elson de Campos Pinto said.
Gonzaga Junior, a spokesman for the city government, said he didn’t think the piranha attacks would hurt that event since it is many months away.
“Everyone knows there are piranhas in the region and have always taken the necessary precautions,” he said. “What is different this time is that they’ve appeared where they never appeared before.”
According to the report, the beach will remain open because it’s an important draw for tourists in Brazil’s Pantanal region, known for its ecotourism, but the city has seen far few people than normal
The city has seen far fewer people than normal use the beach recently because of the piranha attacks. It was deserted Tuesday, a national holiday in Brazil, normally a heavy beach day.
Officials have put up large signs warning swimmers about the piranhas, reading in blood red letters: “Attention swimmers. Area at risk of piranha attacks. Danger!”
But people in the city, despite for fun and living, think of never going in river beach again.