India, Aug. 19 -- Hurricane Erin may be spinning hundreds of miles offshore, but its impact is being felt hard along the East Coast. Dozens of swimmers had to be rescued from rip currents over the weekend, forcing local officials to clamp down on beach access. In North Carolina, Wrightsville Beach lifeguards pulled about 60 people from the water, according to the Wilmington Star-News.

The number was so high that town leaders put a no-swim order in place through the rest of the week. South Carolina reported another rescue, while the National Weather Service in Charleston said a dozen rip currents were spotted at beaches stretching from South Carolina into Georgia on August 18. "Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore...