FAST FACTS: What are rip currents and how to survive them? (opens original article in a new tab)

The article explains what rip currents are, how they form, and provides safety tips for surviving them, following the drowning of two student-athletes due to rip currents.

• Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving water currents that pull swimmers away from the shore
• Rip currents are caused by wind and waves, and can reach speeds up to eight feet per second
• Survival tips include not swimming against the current and seeking help from lifeguards or emergency services
• Rip tides and rip currents are different phenomena, with rip tides being tide-driven and often found in narrower channels