A swarm of carnivorous fish attacked a group of swimmers at a popular beach in Argentina on Christmas Day, injuring more than 70. Seven children lost part of their toes or fingers in the attack.

"This is not normal," Federico Cornier, the director of emergency services in the city of Rosario, said during a television interview. "It's normal for there to be an isolated bite or injury, but the magnitude in this case was great... this is an exceptional event."

The attack occurred as thousands of people swam in the Parana River near Rosario, about 180 miles from Buenos Airea, to escape the 100-degree weather. The fish, according to Cornier, are called palometas, which are "a type of piranha, big, voracious and with sharp teeth that can really bite."

[Images via AP]