The entire coast of Nouvelle-Aquitaine is on high alert for the danger of rip currents

You'll probably have to choose the pool over the ocean if you plan to swim in Nouvelle-Aquitaine on Wednesday, August 6 and Thursday, August 7. The Southwest Zone Operations Center is warning of the "maximum risk" of rip currents, currents that carry swimmers out to sea, on these two days. "The beaches of Nouvelle-Aquitaine are marked by ocean currents that can be dangerous. Every year, swimmers are swept away and drown," the operations center said in a press release.

The prefects of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Gironde regions, as well as those of Landes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and Charente-Maritime—all on the southwest coast—also issued the alert on social media and official websites. They called on "beachgoers to be extremely vigilant" to avoid drowning.

For the more adventurous who dare to swim, it is strongly recommended to only go to supervised areas, those whose boundaries are symbolized by flags. In his press release, Etienne Guyot, the prefect of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, also reiterates other advice for safe swimming.

He therefore asks that children be constantly supervised and that they "always stay with them when they play by the water" and that they avoid swimming. "Take into account your physical condition" and warn a loved one before swimming, advises the prefect, who also reminds that "an attentive swimmer is a safe swimmer." He therefore urges people to respect the safety instructions corresponding to the swimming flags.