More than 50 beaches along the East Coast were closed Saturday due to high bacteria levels and dangerous rip currents ahead of Hurricane Ernesto.
The National Park Service and New York City Parks have closed all beaches in Brooklyn and Queens due to possible life-threatening rip currents as Ernesto approaches the U.S. coast.
The hurricane moved through Bermuda as a Category 1 storm early Saturday and is not expected to make landfall in the United States.
The National Hurricane Center reported life-threatening waves and rip currents on the East Coast and said they would reach Canada during the day and pass near southeastern Newfoundland late Monday.
“Our primary goal is to keep New Yorkers safe, so as the impacts of (Hurricane) Ernesto approach New York City, we will be closing our oceanfront beaches in Queens and Brooklyn this weekend to protect New Yorkers from dangerous rip currents,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last week, according to ABC 7.
The National Park Service and New York City Parks have closed all beaches in Brooklyn and Queens due to potential life-threatening rip currents as Ernesto approaches the U.S. coast. (Pictured: Jones Beach Field in New York)
Just a few states away in Massachusetts, more than 50 beaches, including Longnook Beach in Truro, have been closed due to high bacteria levels.
Just a few states away, in Massachusetts, more than 50 beaches have been closed primarily due to high bacteria levels. state dashboard sample.
At 33 beaches, bacteria levels had reached levels that were unsafe for swimming and could cause illness.
Meanwhile, harmful cyanobacteria blooms were detected on 13 other beaches.
Other beaches in the Commonwealth state also closed under the “other” category, which can be due to rip currents, poor visibility or other hazards.
Forecasters are also warning the public in New England to beware of dangerous rip currents caused by Ernesto.
“Even if Ernesto remains off the U.S. East Coast, beachgoers should be aware of the significant risk of life-threatening rip currents beginning later this week,” the National Hurricane Center said this week.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, thirty people have died from rip currents this year alone. National Weather Service.
Those who risk swimming in bacteria-filled waters could end up suffering from stomach and intestinal upset, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Bacteria levels have reached levels that are dangerous for swimming and could cause illness (photo: Puffers Pond in MA)
Forecasters are also warning the public in New England and New York to beware of dangerous rip currents due to Ernesto (pictured: Jones Beach Field in New York)
Dangerous bacteria can also cause lethal sepsis, coma, amputation of limbs and, in the worst cases, death. (Pictured: Stock image of cyanobacteria in water)
Many waterborne germs originate from human and animal feces, so the NIH recommends that people avoid using the toilet in water and also keep children’s and animal feces away.
Algae can also infect the water.
“If there are concerns about bacteria or other hazards, focus on doing other activities,” Dr. Dwayne Porter of the University of South Carolina told the NIH.
Dangerous bacteria can also cause fatal sepsis, coma, limb amputation and, in the worst cases, death.
The closure of Massachusetts beaches due to bacteria comes just two weeks after 30 beaches along the New England state’s coast were closed for the same reason.
Most were closed due to an excess of bacteria or a bloom of harmful cyanobacteria, and 29 of them due to bacteria alone.
