High temperatures and high surf combined over the weekend kept Los Angeles County lifeguards busy with nearly 2,000 ocean rescues.
L.A. County Ocean Rescue Captain Pono Barnes told KNX News’ Pete Demetriou their personnel were busy all along the 72 miles of L.A. County beaches, with some areas busier than others. While no deaths were reported, more than 500 people required medical assistance.
"The majority of our rescue work is happening in, like, our southern-facing beaches,” he said. “So it's gonna be like the Manhattan Beach area, Venice, Malibu. We saw rescues even at Will Rogers, Santa Monica North. Not to say that those were the only locations that rescues were happening, but those were the areas where most of that southern swell was funneling in.”
He added that even with the temperatures easing a little in the next two days, surf conditions are not decreasing.
“We have some El Niño conditions happening and brewing in the eastern Pacific,” he said. “We have a Category 5 hurricane right now that is off the coast of Mexico, making a hook into our swell window.”
Beachgoers were urged to check in with a lifeguard tower, no matter which beach they go to, to find out which area is safe to swim in.
Follow KNX News 1070 AM
