Irritants cause beaches to close
JUPITER, Fla. (CBS12) — Some public beaches in Jupiter are closed Saturday after irritants began affecting beachgoers.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue says multiple people complained of respiratory and skin irritations at the beach.
As a safety measure, beaches from Jupiter Inlet to Carlin Park are closed to the public until the cause is determined.
The Florida Department of Health issued a health advisory for the next 48 hours saying that people with respiratory allergies are advised to avoid contact with the beaches and water from Carlin Park North to the Palm Beach County line.
Authorities are currently investigating any potential causes of the irritation, but results will not be available for at least 48 hours.
The City of Lake Worth Beach also issued a health advisory after beachgoers also started reporting respiratory issues consistent with red tied, the city announced. They are closing the beach and the pier as a precautionary measure.
Beachgoers at Hobe Sound and Bathtub Beaches are also experiencing respiratory and skin irritations.
Martin County lifeguards told beachgoers that Bathtub Beach and Hobe Sound Beach were closed due to precautionary measures after a handful of people reported they had symptoms consistent with red tide.
Red tide has not been confirmed in the area and the county has contacted DEP, the health department and sent requests for testing to FWC to see if red tide is present, a Martin County spokesperson tells CBS12.
Martin County will re-open the beaches in the morning and continually assess beach conditions throughout the day, they add.
