Panama City Beach, Florida has reported seven drownings in nine days.
Officials in the Florida Panhandle report that seven people have drowned in nine daylight , earning Panama City Beach the moniker " the Deadliest Beach in America " fromFox News . data point reveal that the beach has had the highestnumber of cover deaths in 2023 . Rip current in the area , which is on the Gulf of Mexico , are incredibly secure . Those currents often can not be seen from the surface , sometimes make swimmer to consider that the body of water is safer than it actually is .
It is for this reason that a sword lily system of rules is in place and updated daily in Panama City Beach , which is inBay County , Florida , with immature flags indicating that the water is safe for swim , yellow flag indicating that beachgoers should proceed with caution , and red flags indicating that no one should infix the water system because the conditions are dangerous . A three-fold red fag mean that the beach is closed and fines can be make to anyone caught swimming in the sea .
" We really want to encourage all of our visitors to bear by the flag scheme . Obviously , threefold red flags means the water is closed to the public , " Rachel Banks , the public relation handler for Visit Panama City Beach , tell according toMyPanhandle.com . " We ’re really just encouraging our visitors and residents to stay cognizant , stay argus-eyed , and stay dependable . "
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The incident were also handle by Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford in aFacebook post . The sheriff call in the death " tragical and unnecessary . " He also call down beachgoers who have reportedly been flipping off lifeguards and first responders who have been on the beach warning hoi polloi against entering the pee .
As a former resident of Panama City Beach , Florida , I can attest to the magnate of the current in the disconnection . In 9th form , my entire youth group was almost swept out to ocean after we participate the water on a twofold red flag daytime . Because the water seemed so calm , we ignored the flag . Soon , we went from standing in hip deep water to being sucked out to a depth where no one could fend . fortuitously , an off - duty rescue bather was nearby , and was able to serve in getting us safely to shore .
When travel to the beaches in that area — or any beach , to be honest — make trusted to pay aid to sign and steering from local official . Even the tranquil body of water can be dangerous .
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