VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Fourth of July may be over, but the crowds are still expected to hit up the beach this weekend.
“We went into this weekend treating it like a four-day weekend,” said Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs.
With a rip current advisory issued for Volusia County and northern Brevard, Malphurs explained it’s been a busy few days.
On Friday, 95 people were rescued on Volusia County beaches, according to beach safety officials. That makes nearly 400 rescues since Wednesday. Brevard County reported 58 rescues on its beaches on Wednesday and Thursday as well.
That follows a drowning in Volusia County earlier this week.
Red flags indicate strong rip currents are present.
[RELATED: Flags, conditions, more — What to know before heading to the beach]
Another potential danger is sharks.
Lifeguards said a man from Ohio was bitten by a shark on the Fourth of July in New Smyrna Beach.
She said the surf in that area has been strong over the past few days.
“You have the jetty with the big fish where the sharks hang out there as well so that also makes for a perfect storm for shark bites, that’s why we have most of our shark bites in that area,” Malphurs said.
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