A North Carolina ocean rescue official says more than 40 people had to be saved from dangerous rip currents at a single beach on Sunday.
Dave Baker is the ocean rescue director for Wrightsville Beach. Baker confirmed that dozens of swimmers were rescued from rip currents there by late afternoon Sunday.
He said red flags indicating a high rip current hazard were flying all day. When red flags are in the air, conditions are seen as potentially life threatening, and swimmers are discouraged from getting in the water.
The National Weather Service reported the risk for rip currents across the North Carolina coast Sunday was moderate, meaning swimmers should swim near a lifeguard and pay attention to warnings and beach officials.
The Weather Service says that if you're caught in a rip current, you should swim parallel to the shore until you're out of the current, then swim toward the beach.