MIAMI, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- An elderly couple were killed by rip currents at a Miami beach as rain in Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss., flooded streets and stranded drivers, officials said.
Officials said a beach outing turned to tragedy for an elderly couple after they were swept away by a rip current Sunday, WSVN-TV, Miami reported
"They just rolled around the waves," said a girl identified only as Nichole, who saw the victims swimming on the beach just before they went under water.
Good Samaritans, along with Ocean Rescue, tried to save the swimmers. Police said the rescue was one of about 50 such incidents where swimmers had to rescued from the rough waters, CNN reported.
Efforts to revive the couple were unsuccessful. They were pronounced dead at an area hospital.
In Mississippi, the National Weather Service posted flash flood warnings for the Gulfport and Biloxi area through Monday afternoon, officials said.
Drivers told the Biloxi's Sun Herald about 10 cars stalled when driving through high waters in certain areas while other drivers pulled off the highways as roads became impassible.
The NWS said thunderstorms with potential wind gusts of 40 mph to 50 mph were detected east of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. The storm system was tracking toward areas near Biloxi, Lyman and Saucier.
Weather forecasters said a stalled front along the Gulf and Southeast coasts would bring heavy rain early this week, drawing its strength from the Gulf of Mexico, CNN said.
Flood watches and warnings were posted from the Florida panhandle to the Carolinas.
