Surfer injured in Australia’s fourth shark attack in 48 hours

A surfer has been bitten by a shark, the fourth attack in 48 hours off the coast of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) state.

The 39-year-old man suffered minor injuries when he was bitten by a shark on his surfboard near Crescent Head on Tuesday morning. According to reports, he is currently receiving treatment in the hospital and is in stable condition.

Three more attacks occurred in Sydney in the previous two days. Police said all beaches in Sydney’s north will remain closed until further notice.

The attack came after days of heavy rain, which New South Wales police chief Joseph McNulty said earlier could have created a “show storm environment” for a shark attack. Rainwater washes nutrients into the water, which attracts sharks closer to shore.

Tuesday’s attack occurred near the Point Plomer campsite, about 450 kilometers (279 miles) north of Sydney.

Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said the surfer was “extremely lucky not to have suffered any serious injuries”, the ABC reported.

“We strongly advise against swimming or surfing near the mouth of the river because that’s obviously where sharks congregate,” Pierce said. “If it was dirty water, I would think twice about that.”

A young surfer had a similarly lucky escape at Sydney’s Dee Why beach on Monday, but a shark attack hours later in nearby Manly left a 27-year-old surfer with “life-changing” injuries. A 12-year-old boy was seriously injured after being bitten at a popular Sydney Harbor beach on Sunday.

Authorities believe bull sharks were involved in several recent incidents attack.

The Australian Museum says bull sharks can be found in both fresh and salt water and are “one of the few sharks that are potentially dangerous to humans”. They are the third deadliest shark species, according to the International Shark Attack File.

In November, a woman was killed and a man seriously injured after being attacked by a bull shark on a remote beach in New South Wales.

Even though Australia is a global hotspot for shark attacks, the likelihood of being attacked is still very small.

Police on Monday advised the public to avoid NSW waterways as recent weather reduced water quality and visibility.

“I would advise against swimming in the harbor or other river systems in New South Wales at this time,” Superintendent Joseph McNulty told reporters.