NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Rockaway beaches in Queens were closed to swimmers Tuesday after a pair of shark sightings, officials said.
The city Parks Department confirmed the sightings were made in the waters off Beach 102nd Street and Beach 67th Street. The NYPD said the sightings closed all Rockaway beaches but that the boardwalk remained open.
Also on Tuesday, a shark sighting off East Atlantic Beach forced Hempstead lifeguards to suspend swimming there, according to Newsday. A sighting at Maryland Avenue also shut down swimming in Long Beach.
The closures come as New Yorkers are expected to flock to beaches as the city braces for an extended heat wave starting Tuesday that is forecast to rival some of the longest on record.
It also comes after multiple shark sightings and encounters, including bites, on Long Island in recent weeks, as well as a sighting off Rockaway Beach on Sunday.
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered several state agencies to implement increased patrols and surveillance of shark activity, including drone and helicopter monitoring, at Long Island beaches.
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