NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. — There have been more than 80 rip current rescues in the past week.
According to lifeguards at Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Kure Beach over 40 people were rescued on Wednesday, almost 30 on Thursday, and almost 20 Friday.
The National Weather Service has forecasted a high risk for dangerous rip currents.
How to get out of a rip current:
According to the National Weather Service if you get caught in a rip current do the following:
- Try to remain calm to conserve energy.
- Do not fight the current. Think of a rip current like a treadmill you can't turn off. You want to step to the side of it.
- Swim across the current in a direction parallel to/following the shoreline.
- Once out of the current, swim back towards shore.
- Rip currents typically weaken beyond where the waves are breaking - when the current weakens, swim down the beach some before heading back to shore.
- If you can't escape the current, try to float or calmly tread water.
- If at any time you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms and yell for help.
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