A woman was swimming in Lake Tahoe. Then she ‘felt the teeth and claws’

Editor's note: This story includes graphic photos that may be disturbing to some readers.

A routine morning swim in Lake Tahoe turned violent for one woman following an otter attack in Reno, Nevada.

The otter attacked Lynnette Bellin on Sunday, Aug. 30 underwater while she swam near Hidden Beach in Incline Village. The otter suddenly grabbed her leg and pulled her underwater, she told the Reno Gazette Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.

As a result, Bellin was left with cuts all over her face, arm and legs and required 22 stitches and a rabies vaccination.

"At first I thought it was a person pulling on me because it was so strong," Bellin told the Gazette Journal on Monday, Aug. 31.

"I haven't seen anyone else out there swimming, so I wasn't sure," she said. "And then I felt the teeth and claws, and it was relentless.

She then turned around and spotted the otter, which was biting and scratching her. As the attack continued, Bellin tried to reach a nearby set of rocks and even threw the otter.

Though she yelled for help, no one responded. Still, she managed to exit the water using a set of rocks.

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/