DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Lifeguards in Volusia County pulled about 500 swimmers from rip currents over the last three days, and beachgoers were warned that the dangerous conditions were expected to remain for awhile.

VIDEO: Lifeguards Rescue 150 Swimmers

Volusia County lifeguards said they rescued about 100 people from rip currents on Sunday, a day after pulling more than 200 swimmers from the surf as Floridians seek a break from the relentless heat. Temperatures have been in the mid- to upper-90s across Central Florida the last several days.

Scott Petersohn of Volusia County Beach Patrol said all of the beach's lifeguard towers were manned over the weekend.

Lifeguards said heavy surf over the past month have caused hundreds of rip current channels.

"You could be walking around in waist-deep water, you step in a little pothole and you're in chest deep water, you're going backwards, and a whole family -- we just did a rescue in front of our station -- the whole family just got pulled out," said Petersohn, who instructed swimmers on what to do when being pulled by rips. "Do not turn and swim directly back into shore; you're swimming, basically, upstream. You're in the deepest part of the beach, in that area, and you're going to sit still, not making any progress. You're going to expend all your energy and, hopefully, we'll intervene."

Young beachgoer Lauren West's father showed her to swim along the coastline if she gets caught in a rip current.

"I kind of stay with my mom because I don't want to get washed out," Lauren said.

Two people were hospitalized on Friday but were expected to be OK.

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