Surf Eases Up a Little after 3 Drownings in New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  -- Swimmers were allowed back into the water along parts of the New Jersey shore Monday, following a deadly weekend blamed on rip currents related to Tropical Storm Bertha.


Sonia Rincon reports

Strong currents were still evident, along with 5-to-6-foot waves in many spots on Monday, but lifeguards were allowing swimmers to go into the water in some spots, while keeping a close eye by keeping them clustered together.

``It's not quite as bad as yesterday,'' said Virginia Vazzana, a lifeguard in Harvey Cedars, a town on the northern half of Long Beach Island. ``Yesterday, it was really rough the entire day. It was dangerous for kids as well as adults.''

Rip currents caused by Bertha, hundreds of miles offshore, led to two confirmed drownings over the weekend; a third swimmer was missing and presumed drowned as well.

The search continued Monday for Juan Moore, 28, of Philadelphia. He was among three friends who swam toward a buoy about 100 yards off the Wildwood beach around 7 p.m. Saturday,

Two made it back to shore, but one, Ismael Lopez, 36, also of Philadelphia, was unconscious and was pronounced dead after efforts at resuscitation.

In Atlantic City, lifeguards in a surf boat and in the water came to the aid of Abdul Rasheed Ahmed, 51, who was being carried from shore by a rip current about 3 p.m. Saturday.

Ahmed grabbed a line thrown from the boat, and lifeguards in the water helped bring the man to the side of the boat, where he was able to hold onto its side.

However, he suddenly lost consciousness and was placed in the boat, where resuscitation efforts began. Treatment continued by paramedics when they got to shore, but Ahmed was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.

Bertha, a former hurricane that has since been downgraded to tropical storm status, was 37 miles east of Bermuda Monday afternoon, with sustained winds near 65 mph.

But that was still more than enough to whip up the surf along the eastern coast of the United States. Robert Barrese of Morris Plains was at the beach in Harvey Cedars Monday morning as his young son collaborated with other kids on a mammoth sand castle _ the best they could do on a day of rough surf.

``They've been OK so far, but once they get bored with this, it's going to be, 'Why can't we go in? We brought our boogie boards!'''

Barrese said his son was undaunted by his experience in the roiling surf a day earlier.

``I had to go in and pull him out three times when he got caught in it, but he still has no fear,'' he said. ``He wants to go right back in.''

State homeland security officials also used the storm as an occasion to remind residents in coastal community that they can sign up for a special needs registry designed to let rescuers know who needs help first during an evacuation.

They unveiled an advertising campaign for the program that was started a year ago to let people with disabilities or other special circumstances register in advance with local police. That way, if a flood or other emergency occurs, rescuers will know, for example, who is bedridden and needs to be helped from their home.

Signing up for the list ``will help first responders make the best use of limited time and resources by planning to help those with limited options for evacuation during an emergency,'' said state Homeland Security Director Richard Canas.