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At least 400 swimmers pulled from rip currents in NC, VA over July 4th holiday weekend

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston-Riggs
Published July 6, 2023 at 10:37 AM EDT
Strong rip currents prompted lifeguards to pull hundreds of swimmers from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the holiday weekend.
Victoria Oliva
/
NOAA
Strong rip currents prompted lifeguards to pull hundreds of swimmers from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the holiday weekend.

Strong rip currents prompted lifeguards to pull about 200 swimmers from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia and northeastern North Carolina over the holiday weekend.

Tom Gill is chief of the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service. He told The Virginian-Pilot that the city's more than 180 rescues was a high number, even for a holiday weekend.

Authorities reported 21 rescues on Hatteras Island.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington said Carolina Beach had 61 water rescues just on Saturday, and there were around a dozen each at Wrightsville and Kure Beaches.

On Sunday, there were a total of 124 water rescues, with more than 70 at Carolina Beach alone.

So far this year, the National Weather Service reports that 57 people have died this year in the U.S. because of rip currents.
NOAA
So far this year, the National Weather Service reports that 57 people have died this year in the U.S. because of rip currents.

The rescues follow at least 10 deaths last month that authorities attributed to rip currents along the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama and Florida.

So far this year, the National Weather Service reports that 57 people have died this year in the U.S. because of rip currents.

**Associated Press contributed to this report
Annette Weston-Riggs
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. She has been involved in the media industry in eastern North Carolina for more than three years. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to ENC to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of toddler and baby cuddling, reading, designing costumes for children’s theater and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston-Riggs