285
In the last few weeks, more than a dozen deaths caused by drowning due to rip currents on the Gulf Coast have been reported.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that move directly away from the shore. These currents are dangerous as they are hard to spot for the common beachgoer, move at the speed of up to 8 feet per second and can pull people away from the shore.
People are advised to check beach conditions prior to swimming and to only swim at beaches with lifeguards.
– Marie Gabrielle Patasin, C2 Communications
