Paraguay: 4 killed and over 20 injured in series of fatal Piranha attacks

In a string of deadly piranha attacks in Paraguay this year, four people were killed and 20 others were injured, stoking fears among locals, according to the report published in the Mirror. On January 2, a 22-year-old man went missing during a family vacation in the Paraguay River near Itá Enramada, south of the capital Asuncion, when piranhas attacked him and pulled him underwater. His relatives alerted the authorities, and less than an hour later, he was discovered with severe bite marks from the fierce fish.

In a separate incident, a 49-year-old man drowned after going swimming in the Paraguay River in the town of Puerto Rosario as a result of a piranha assault. According to the report, he had bite wounds on his face. The body of a third victim, who had gone missing, was recovered by Members of the Naval Prefecture and the Public Ministry on Tuesday.

He was discovered floating in the Paraguay River and eventually died of suffocation from submersion, according to a forensic doctor. His face and feet were also covered in bite marks, Mirror reported.

2 killed in a branch of the Tebicuary River in Villa Florida

In addition, two other young persons were killed in piranha attacks in a branch of the Tebicuary River in Villa Florida. Their bodies were also discovered with bite marks, according to an Argentine publication. Hundreds of other reports of bathers and swimmers being bitten by piranhas in Itapua and other beach regions have been filed, the local media reported.

Only two kinds of Piranhas are known to attack humans

There have been several claimed attacks on the Parana River at the Bella Vista Fishing Club in the Itapua district, which were not fatal but resulted in serious injuries. Such attacks, according to local media, occur during hot weather. Although there are eight kinds of piranhas in Argentina, only two - serrasalmus marginatus and serrasalmus maculatus - are known to attack humans, according to Argentinian researcher Julio Caply, Daily Mail reported.

The deadly fish, according to the scientist, are mostly found in the Parana and Paraguay rivers, hiding under floating vegetation until abruptly bursting out to attack humans.

Piranhas are omnivorous fish that rarely attack humans unless there is a drought or they are particularly aggressive during their breeding season, which runs from October to March. According to the Mirror, this aggressive behaviour is more common in male piranhas and does not frequently end in a deadly attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: Unsplash/Representative