DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Over the past three days, rip currents endangered swimmers in central Florida trying to escape the hot summer sun and escalating temperatures.
In Volusia County, lifeguards rescued over 500 swimmers from the unsafe currents, according to the Orlando News.
With temperatures in the high 90s, lifeguards have been on close watch, Orlando News said. They have warned swimmers of the perilously strong currents.
"You could be walking around in waist-deep water, you step in a little pothole and you're in chest deep water, you're going backwards, and a whole family — we just did a rescue in front of our station — the whole family just got pulled out," Scott Petersohn of Volusia County Beach Patrol told the Orlando News.
The currents arise from heavy surf and have caused two hospitalizations since Friday.
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