Hurricane Erin brings dangerous rip currents to East Coast beaches, dozens rescued
Hurricane Erin is fueling powerful rip currents along the East Coast, forcing dozens of rescues and beach closures from the Carolinas to New England.
Hurricane Erin may be spinning hundreds of miles offshore, but its impact is being felt hard along the East Coast. Dozens of swimmers had to be rescued from rip currents over the weekend, forcing local officials to clamp down on beach access. In North Carolina, Wrightsville Beach lifeguards pulled about 60 people from the water, according to the Wilmington Star-News.
The number was so high that town leaders put a no-swim order in place through the rest of the week. South Carolina reported another rescue, while the National Weather Service in Charleston said a dozen rip currents were spotted at beaches stretching from South Carolina into Georgia on August 18. “Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water,” the Charleston office warned in a bulletin on August 19.
Warnings stretch from Florida to New England
Mike Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said the conditions can fool people. Skies look clear, waves may look inviting, but the danger lurks under the surface. “Weather conditions might look ideal for a beach trip, but dangerous rip currents can be hard to spot,” he explained.
AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva put it more bluntly. “The force of the rip currents and rough surf along the Atlantic coast this week is life-threatening. Hurricane Erin is producing a tremendous amount of energy that will create hazardous beach conditions from Florida to New England,” reports USA Today.
Some beaches aren’t taking chances. In Atlantic City, New Jersey, swimmers have been limited to knee-deep water, and boogie boards are off-limits. Farther north, beaches in Massachusetts have been shut entirely.
What to know before you go into the surf?
Rip currents are fast, narrow channels of water that surge away from the shore. They do not drag swimmers under, but can pull them into deeper ocean waters in seconds. Since 2010, more than 800 people have died in rip current drownings, NOAA data shows. This year alone, at least 52 people have died from surf zone dangers, nearly half tied directly to rip currents.
Experts say the key is to stay calm if you are caught. Don’t fight the current head-on. Instead, swim parallel to the beach until you have cleared it, then angle back toward shore. If you see someone else struggling, don’t jump in. Get a lifeguard or throw something that floats. If no lifeguard is present, call 911.
Officials stress the simplest move of all: check the warnings before you head to the beach, and always swim near a lifeguard.
FAQs:
Where have rip current rescues occurred?
Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina saw about 60 rescues, with others in South Carolina and Georgia.
Why are rip currents so dangerous?
They move quickly away from shore and can exhaust swimmers trying to fight them.
How many people die in rip currents each year?
Since 2010, more than 800 people in the U.S. have died from rip current drownings.
What should you do if caught in one?
Swim parallel to the shore until free of the current, then head back at an angle.
When will Hurricane Erin reach land?
Erin remains hundreds of miles offshore but is already creating dangerous surf along the U.S. coast.
