New York's Rockaway Beach Closed After Shark Attack

Here we go again. Sharks in New York aren't stopping.

So far this summer Long Island shark encounters have made the news a few times, including two shark attacks in one day.

According to a CNN article, the closure follows yesterday's hospitalization of a woman who suffered "an apparent shark bite near the beach in Queens, New York."

The announcement above was made by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

In the post, the department wrote:

“As a safety precaution, Rockaway Beach will be closed to swimming & surfing today, August 8, due to recent shark activity..."

CNN reported that medics arrived at Rockaway Beach "shortly before 6 p.m. Monday and found the woman had a serious leg injury, the New York City Fire Department said."

“All indications appear to be a shark bite,” the fire department told CNN.

The woman was reported to be in stable condition.

Last month, we reported that New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the distribution of shark-monitoring drones to enhance safety for beachgoers and surfers. The press conference was reminiscent of the scene in Jaws where the chief announces his plan to “use shark spotters on the beach.”

During the press conference, the governor said that in 2012, New York had only one shark encounter. A decade later, that number was up to eight.

The drones are considered an “eye in the sky” response to prevent beachgoers from shark attacks.

New York's Department of Environmental Conservation also released tips to "minimize risk of shark interactions." The tips included staying close to shore, avoiding murky water and being in the ocean at dawn and dusk.

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