VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – As a disturbance off the coast of Florida brought strong rip currents to Volusia County beaches over the Memorial Day holiday, 237 people were rescued Monday from the ocean, officials said.
Volusia County Beach Safety said the total for the holiday weekend was 299 rescues.
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The disturbance moved over the Carolinas on by the end of the weekend, but it still produced gusty winds, dangerous surf and rip current conditions along the Southeast coast of the U.S.
“The large surf on Saturday was the catalyst for today’s rip currents, as the surf calmed and became inviting, the rip currents began to pull off the battered sand bars,” a spokesperson for Volusia County Beach Safety said Monday in a statement.
Strong rip currents were expected again Tuesday at Central Florida beaches.
WHAT TO DO IN A RIP CURRENT
If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, the first step is to not panic and try to swim against the current. Turn on your back and float for a few seconds and try and alert people on the beach.
Next, start swimming parallel to the coastline until you begin to feel the pull relax.
From there, start swimming back to shore at an angle. Many panicked swimmers try swimming straight back to shore. That causes them to swim against the current, which increases their risk of drowning due to fatigue.
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