The floods have so far claimed 13 lives. Intense rainfall over the past week has increased the level of nutrients and run-off which ends up in coastal waters, providing a rich food supply for fish, which in turn attract larger predators.
Previous studies have found that the risk of shark attacks rises during periods of wet weather.
Lawrence Chlebeck, a marine biologist from Humane Society International, told Yahoo News Australia: “Sharks are very intelligent animals and they’ve specialised in making the most of feeding opportunities. One of the things that sharks have learned to do is follow rivers after heavy rainfall because lots of different things will be washed into the ocean.”
It is not only the sea that poses a shark threat. Bull sharks, which can be equally deadly, are known to frequent Sydney Harbour and would also be attracted by the added nutrients flowing from rivers further upstream.
