Girl loses her leg in shark attack at Florida beach: "It's a tragedy"

A girl suffered serious injuries Thursday when she was attacked by a shark at a beach in Florida, authorities said, continuing a frightening trend in the state that accounts for nearly 40% of unprovoked shark bites worldwide. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett told CBS affiliate WCTV that the girl had surgery and lost her leg, but is expected to survive.

The attack happened at Keaton Beach in northwestern Florida. The girl was scalloping in water approximately 5 feet deep near Grassy Island, just of Keaton Beach, when she was bitten by the shark, the Taylor County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

One of the girl's family members reportedly jumped in the water and beat the shark off of her until she was free, officials said.