2 children attacked by shark near Oak Island, North Carolina

Victims were 12-year-old girl from Asheboro, 16-year-old boy from Winston-Salem

Two Triad children lost at least part of one limb following apparent shark attacks about an hour apart at the same North Carolina beach Sunday afternoon.

A 12-year-old girl from Asheboro and a 16-year-old boy from Winston-Salem were injured off different parts of Oak Island, about 30 miles south of Wilmington. Both were flown to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, though both were in good condition as of Monday morning.

No names have been released.

The girl's left arm was amputated below the elbow, and one of the boy's arms was amputated below the shoulder, officials from New Hanover Regional Medical Center told NBC affiliate WECT. The girl also had tissue damage to her left leg.

Oak Island officials said both incidents happened when the victims were in waist-deep water about 20 yards offshore. Officials weren't able to confirm by Monday morning whether the same animal attacked both victims.

Officials said at least one and possibly as many as two sharks were spotted in the water after the incidents were reported. The shark was estimated to be more than 7 feet long.

The 12-year-old was injured near the Ocean Crest fishing pier sometime after 4 p.m., while the 16-year-old was injured about two miles away sometime before 6 p.m. The beach was closed after the second incident.

Oak Island Mayor Betty Wallace told The Associated Press on Monday that she didn't think there was enough time for workers to decide to close the beach between attacks. Wallace said that even if the beach had closed after the first attack, the order might not have extended to the area of the second incident.

The beach reopened on Monday, though town officials urged people to be cautious.

Town officials said Monday that both victims have a long road to recovery. Officials credited life-saving efforts by beach bystanders.

Wallace said she's not aware of other shark attacks in the area since she bought a home there in 1995.

On Thursday, a 13-year-old girl suffered minor cuts to her foot while boogie boarding near Ocean Isle Beach, about 15 miles west of Oak Island. An apparent shark bite was found on the boogie board, WECT reported.