Safety experts say it’s critical for people heading to the shore to learn the signs and know how to escape from a dangerous rip current.
Sunday. “The water can appear calm, but underneath currents are treacherous today. It’s just too dangerous right now to swim.”Double red flags indicate “extremely dangerous conditions” and no one should be swimming. Single red flags indicated “high hazard conditions with high surf and/or currents.”. Rip currents are channels of water that can pull swimmers away from shore and farther out into the ocean.
Rip currents can occur at any time of the year, even on sunny days, where the hazards that stir up rip currents are well offshore. Beachgoers should pay attention toA warning flag flies from a lifeguard's vehicle as he patrols the beach during a break in the rain and wind storms in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2015.
"You cannot fight that volume of water going out," Kottlowski said."It's impossible. People who get caught panic, but it is best to stay calm and let the water calm down, and you'll be fine."