An Alabama city closed all of its beaches after four men drowned in dangerous rip currents in the Gulf of Mexico since Sunday.
Gulf Shores officials on Monday posted double red flags on all beaches in the city, meaning that extremely hazardous conditions are present and all waters are closed to the public.
The city said in a statement that water conditions might not appear life-threatening, but underlying rip currents posed a significant risk to anyone entering the Gulf.
Beaches in Gulf Shores were re-opened Tuesday under yellow-flag conditions, meaning that moderate surf and/or currents were present, and swimmers should use caution, according to a telephone hotline for information on beach conditions.
The men who drowned were from Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Louisiana.
