After 13-year-old dies, Gov. Murphy urges caution as Hurricane Erin churns up NJ waves

🌧️Two people have drowned at Jersey Shore beaches in the past week

🌧️Hurricane Erin will have a serious impact on the Jersey Shore but not make landfall

🌧️Gov. Phil Murphy urged swimmers to stay out of the water at unguarded beaches

UPDATE: More beaches in New Jersey are restricting swimming

BELMAR — After a 13-year-old became the latest drowning victim at the Jersey Shore this weekend, Gov. Phil Murphy and local officials are urging caution as Hurricane Erin is set to make major waves off the coast.

Wildwood prohibited swimming on all city beaches at all hours, police said Monday.

Last week, Seaside Heights threatened to arrest anyone who got into the water after lifeguard hours. Conditions from Erin this week could expand that prohibition.

Latest drowning this weekend

A teen drowned off the 8th Avenue beach early Friday evening, according to Belmar police. The victim was found unresponsive in the water off the 7th Avenue beach. After life-saving efforts by lifeguards and first responders, the teen was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and pronounced dead.

Conditions are expected to worsen as Hurricane Erin gets closer to the East Coast, although a direct hit is not in the cards, according to New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow.

"The latest forecast puts the center of Erin anywhere between 325 and 525 miles off the Jersey Shore at its closest pass on Thursday," Zarrow said, adding that we would still feel the effects in terms of rough surf, beach erosion and some tidal flooding.

After the latest tragedy, Belmar Beach Patrol Chief Lifeguard Harry M. Harsin pleaded with the public "to use common sense and not let your loved ones into the water after hours."

"I cannot emphasize enough that the ocean poses many dangers to those who enter the water when lifeguards are off duty. Wind, waves, sandbars and riptides are a constant threat," he said.

ALSO READ: Dan Zarrow's latest on Hurriane Erin

Crackdown in Seaside Heights

Conditions were not as bad in Seaside Heights as they have been in recent days, Police Chief Tommy Boyd told New Jersey 101.5 on Monday morning. He did not yet have a final count on rescues.

"We had a lot more police officers on the beach riding ATVs," he said. "We're making sure that people weren't swimming after there were no lifeguards. What we're trying to do is we're trying to stop the problem before it starts."

No one has been arrested for refusing to come out of the water when ordered by police. Mayor Tony Vaz has ordered a new policy of arresting swimmers who do not come out on their own due to rough waters.

ALSO READ: NJ 101.5 Jersey Shore Report

Murphy: 'Please, please be careful'

Gov. Phil Murphy implored ocean swimmers to be careful this week.

"Don't swim in beaches without lifeguards. Don't swim if they've got the red flags up," Murphy said Monday on the New Jersey 101.5 Morning Show. "This is going to be dangerous."

Zarrow said that waves could break on the beach between 6 and 10 feet by Wednesday, which would create "very rough and formidable" conditions into the weekend. Beach erosion could be moderate to severe. A 2-3 foot storm surge will be enough to push tidal waterways into the minor flooding category. Those concerns could be enough force Murphy to take action at state beaches at least.

"Most of these beaches are under the control of the local community, but I think you got to get tough. Sadly, if folks are willfully ignoring what we think are screaming, flashing red lights here, in terms of behavior in the water, I think you have to leave all options on the table," Murphy said.

While the governor wants beachgoers to be safe, he also encourages them to continue with their plans to visit the shore.

"I don't want to scare people from being on the shore, but I do want them to be really, really careful if they're swimming," Murphy said.

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