Dangerous surf and massive weekend crowds kept lifeguards extremely busy at beaches across Orange County, where hundreds of swimmers had to be rescued from the ocean. Authorities say Orange County lifeguards performed more than 400 rescues over the weekend, with Huntington Beach accounting for 238 of them and Newport Beach recording another 171. Many of the rescues involved swimmers caught in powerful rip currents that quickly pulled them away from shore. In addition to the rescues, lifeguards carried out thousands of preventative actions, warning beachgoers about hazardous conditions before emergencies developed. Huntington Beach lifeguards logged more than 4,200 preventative contacts, while crews in Newport Beach made more than 2,600. Several additional rescues were reported on Monday as rough surf persisted along the coast. Los Angeles County lifeguards were also kept busy, responding to more than 1,500 rescues during the same weekend. Officials continue urging swimmers to heed warning flags and stay near staffed lifeguard towers.
