According to North Myrtle Beach Police, a man was saved from drowning during rip currents caused by Hurricane Ernesto.
About 6 p.m. Aug. 16, police responded to a call about a man who had been pulled alive from the ocean near 27th Avenue South.
The bystander saw the man dive under waves and after one dive, did not see him come back up for around a minute, then saw the man floating in the water, so he got in the water and pulled him to shore.
Rip Currents
In North Myrtle Beach, EMTs put a Virginia man on a board and carried him to the ambulance at the closest beach access. He survived the potential drowning by being transported to the hospital.
A hurricane season that lasts from June through November has made the surf more dangerous in Myrtle Beach this August, according to the South Carolina DNR.
According to the National Weather Service, the Atlantic coast from Florida to Raleigh had rip current risks from Hurricane Ernesto when the man was pulled out of the ocean in North Myrtle Beach on Friday. According to the National Weather Service, Ernesto began in the Caribbean and moved into the Atlantic Ocean.
During the weekend, rip current risks were high, but on Monday, they began to decrease.
When swimming, you should check with the National Weather Service or follow the flags at the lifeguard stands for rip current risks during Tropical Storm Debby in the first week of the month.
A yellow flag indicates light surf or currents, a red flag indicates rough and dangerous conditions, and a double red flag indicates the water is closed, most often because of rip currents.