Latest news with #beachwarning
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
British tourists warned against grotesque beach habit that people say is 'bizarre'
British holidaymakers have been warned against one particularly grotesque act on a Portuguese beach that has been branded 'bizarre' and 'brazen.' Tourists in the coastal city of Albufeira have been ordered to stop urinating and defecating in an area that's not only frequented by UK holidaymakers, but is also home to large British expat community. At Santa Eulália beach, officials have erected an angry sign that reads 'NíO URINAR' in Portuguese, which translates to 'Don't Urinate.' However, below the sign is an extra message in English with the words: 'No poop and pee.' It also features a bold red line running through an image of a male figure urinating and another defacating. The unconventional sign, located near the waterfront, does not explicitly target British tourists, but it appears to be a response to a growing issue in the area. In the first five months of 2024, Portugal welcomed 6.9 million international visitors - of these, two million were from the UK, according to the National Tourism Authority. The vast majority of British travellers head to the Algarve region where the beaches are located. A further 45,000 British expats live there. The Algarve has welcomed record numbers of tourists in recent years, with over 5 million holidaymakers visiting the region in 2024 - marking a 2.6 per cent increase compared to the previous year, according to Portugal's National Tourism Authority. Santa Eulália is a registered Blue Flag beach, which is internationally renowned for demonstrating exceptional levels of safety, cleanliness and environmental management. Speaking to What's The Jam, one holidaymaker quizzed: 'Who would brazenly do a poo on a beach? 'I think most people know that is not acceptable behaviour. I'm not sure why they need a sign to warn people from doing it.' They added: 'But I guess it was there because disgusting people have done it in the past. All in all, it was a bizarre thing to see on the beach.' Meanwhile, British tourists heading to Spain this summer have been issued a warning after a visitor was caught using an 'unauthorised' device - and now faces a fine of up to £175,000. The holidaymaker, who had travelled to Puerto de la Cruz, Canary Islands, earlier this month, was spotted flying a drone over crowds at the Virgen del Carmen festival, which is celebrated annually in seaside towns across the nation around July 16. According to a statement issued by the National Police, the incident occurred on July 15 during the procession, which sees thousands of attendees participate in lively religious festivities while sending floral offerings to the sea. Police officers stationed at the event traced an 'unauthorised' drone in flight to an owner staying at Hotel Las Águilas in another part of the town. The British tourist was brought in for questioning, where he was found to have violated Spanish drone regulations by not having a pilot licence, insurance or any knowledge of the rules. The case was referred to AESA, Spain's State Aviation Safety Agency, for administrative proceedings after the drone was confiscated. According to Canarian Weekly, violating drone laws can lead to significant penalties, including hefty fines and potential legal action.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- CBS News
Great white shark sightings off Maine trigger warnings for beachgoers
Officials in Maine are warning swimmers and beachgoers to exercise caution after multiple sightings of great white sharks in the same area where the state's only fatal shark attack took place. There were two documented sightings off Bailey Island, a picturesque spot in Maine's Casco Bay, according to a social media post by Harpswell Marine Resources & Harbor Management. Shark notification flags are now on display at Cedar Beach, on the northeast side of the island. The beach is still open for swimming, the agency said. "This notification system is in place for people to make informed decisions only," the agency said. Beachgoers who see sharks are asked to take pictures of the fish and contact the Cumberland County Regional Communication Center, the marine resources agency said. Maine's first and only deadly shark attack occurred off the coast of Bailey Island in 2020. Julie Dimperio Holowach, a 63-year-old New York City woman, was swimming with her daughter about 30 to 40 feet off the island's shore when she was bitten. Her daughter was not injured. Two kayakers helped Holowach get to shore, where an ambulance provided care, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Maine officials said the shark that attacked Holowach was a great white shark. Officials described the incident as an unprovoked attack, but said that Holowach was wearing a wetsuit and may have been mistaken for a seal. There have only been two documented unprovoked shark attacks in Maine, including the one that killed Holowach, according to researchers from the International Shark Attack File, a database run by the Florida Museum of Natural History and the University of Florida. Unprovoked shark attacks are generally rare.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Attention swimmers: E.coli count at two Toronto beaches exceeds threshold
The levels found in the water at two Toronto beaches have exceeded the threshold set by the city, prompting a warning to those who are considering going for a swim amid sweltering conditions in the city. The City of Toronto is advising 'caution' to visitors of Centre Island Beach and Sunnyside Beach following its most recent water inspections. The city says that the count recorded at Centre Island Beach on Saturday was more than double its threshold (239 per 100 ml water sampled) while the E. coli count at Sunnyside Beach was also high (174 per 100 ml water sampled). The city inspects the water quality at all of its Blue Flag beaches once every 24 hours and issues caution whenever the count exceeds 100 per 100 ml. The temperature in Toronto is expected to reach 31 C on Monday but feel closer to 40 with the humidex.
CBS News
16-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
LA County issues ocean water warnings for several beaches
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning of ocean water recreation at several county beaches on Monday, as bacterial levels tested high. Department officials caution beachgoers against swimming, surfing and playing in the following ocean waters due to bacterial levels exceeding health standards when last tested: Topanga Canyon Beach, Malibu - 100 yards up and down the coast from the lagoon. Redondo Beach Pier - 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier. Ramirez Creek at Paradise Cove - 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier Santa Monica Pier - 100 yards up and down the coast from the pier. Castlerock Storm Drain at Topanga County Beach - 100 yards up and down the coast from the storm drain. Mothers Beach, Marina Del Rey - entire swim area. Inner Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro - entire swim area. The Bel Air Bay Club, Will Rogers State Beach - 100 yards up and down coast of the club border fence. Recorded information on beach conditions is available 24 hours a day on the County's beach hotline at, 1 (800) 525-5662. For a map of the impacted locations and for more information, visit:
The Sun
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Urgent beach warning as two Brits poisoned on UK island & rushed to A&E after eating dangerous plant with NO antidote
AN URGENT beach warning has been issued after two Brits were poisoned on a UK island and rushed to hospital. The pair has eaten a plant that contained a poison with no antidote available. 3 3 3 Emergency services rushed an island off the coast of Wales on May 3 after reports of a couple who had been poisoned. The Brits, who were on Sully Island off the Vale of Glamorgan, were thought to have ingested Hemlock - a highly poisonous plant. Sully Island is a small, uninhabited island near Barry and is about 450 metres long. The island is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, home to plenty of diverse and rare plants. It offers stunning views of the Welsh coastline and no permanent population, which meant rescue had to come from elsewhere. The RNLI's inshore lifeboats (ILBs) were deployed from Barry Dock to the eastern side of the tidal island. The rescue charity said: "Barry Dock RNLI's inshore lifeboat was tasked by HM Coastguard on Saturday, May 3, to locate, assess, and medevac two casualties on Sully Island reported to have potentially ingested hemlock. "The volunteer crew were advised the casualties, experienced foragers, were on the eastern beach and were located quickly. "On arrival the casualties were showing signs of anxiety so the crew immediately fitted them with lifejackets and embarked both onto the ILB for immediate transport to the mainland." Hemlock, also known as hemlock water-dropwort and hemlock root, is common in shallow water and appears like a cluster of white flowers. Urgent warning over deadly plant worse than Japanese Knotweed... do you have it near you It's often found near rivers or fresh water but can be washed up on beaches after storms. Beachgoers in Britain have been warned keep their pooches on a lead as a precautionary measure in certain spots, with four dogs having died from the plant in the Newquay, Cornwall. Thankfully for the foragers, the RNLI confirmed that after the rescue, the pair on Sully Island made a full recovery. They said: 'Once ashore they were handed to Barry coastguard rescue team (CRT) who identified elevated pulse rates. "Oxygen was prepared from the ILB's supply with an RNLI crew member staying to assist the CRT with care. 'The officer in charge remained in contact with the ambulance service while the crew monitored the casualties. "As the tide fell the ILB could not remain on scene so with their condition stable and a plan in place Barry Dock ILB stood down returned to station and was made ready for service while the casualties were taken to A&E.' SYMPTOMS OF HEMLOCK POISONING Hemlock poisoning will show symptoms after around 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours. The plant can cause a painful rash or burning on the eyes if touched. Ingesting any part of the plant can lead to poisoning which can lead to respiratory failure. Symptoms include: Trembling Burning sensation in digestive tract Increased salivation Dilated pupils Muscle pain and weakness Decreased heart rate Loss of speech Convulsions Unconsciousness If you believe you have symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately. If possible, take a sample of the plant if it's safe do to so by using plastic gloves - or take photos. Do not try and make the infected throw up. What Are Hemlock Roots? Hemlock Roots may look like a "beautiful" flower, but they hold a deadly secret. The plant, which looks like a parsnip, could be lethal to humans and animals. Hemlock could easily kill if it was eaten as it contains fatal toxins. The toxins grow naturally and include coniine and a gamma-coniceine, which cause muscular paralysis. Anyone who ingests the harmful plant could end up with respiratory failure - which could lead to death. Only a tiny amount of Hemlock can prove fatal to a human or to livestock. It usually grows in wet, marshy places and is often confused for its non-poisonous lookalikes such as wild carrots or parsnips. If accidentally eaten, symptoms of poisoning include seizures, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, tremors, confusion, weakness or dizziness. The plant was previously found on a beach in Cornwall following a storm.
