Nearly 2,000 ocean rescues occur as dangerous surf slams popular beaches this summer

A 10-year-old boy was standing in ankle-deep water at a California beach recently when he lost his footing and was pulled into the ocean by powerful surf.

Water safety experts interviewed by Fox News Digital are urging beachgoers to take extra precautions as elevated surf and strong rip currents continue to affect portions of the Southern California coast, according to the National Weather Service.    

"In total, @lacolifeguards performed just under 2,000 rescues as millions flocked to Los Angeles County beaches to beat the heat," the Instagram post read.

"With a heat advisory continuing across the Southland and a Southern Hemisphere swell expected to keep surf elevated throughout the week, we encourage everyone to take proper precaution, and talk to a lifeguard about conditions before entering the water," officials said in the post.

Swells from Hurricane Fausto affected Southern California during the rescue weekend and were expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A later swell from Tropical Cyclone Genevieve was expected to bring high surf to Los Angeles and Ventura County beaches through Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

The conditions should not be viewed as a one-time event, said Dr. Molly O'Shea, a Detroit-based pediatrician with Goldfish Swim School.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said El Niño is expected to strengthen.

O'Shea said the El Niño pattern, combined with swells, could produce elevated surf throughout the summer.

"That combination can keep surf elevated on and off for weeks at a time," she told Fox News Digital.

O'Shea recommended that people swim near an open lifeguard tower and ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water.

"If you see someone struggling, don't swim out after them without something that floats," she added.

"Throw it, don't go - a lot of rip current deaths are bystanders who tried to help and got caught themselves."

When caught in a rip current, swimmers should remain calm and avoid attempting to swim directly against it, O'Shea said.

"Panic makes people swim as hard as they can against it, and that's exactly backwards - you'll exhaust yourself before you get anywhere," she said.

"The move is to relax, swim parallel to the beach until you're out of the current, then let the waves angle you back in."

Similarly, the National Weather Service advises swimmers caught in a rip current to move parallel to the shoreline until they escape its pull, then swim at an angle toward shore. Those who can't escape should float or tread water and signal for help, according to the agency.

Gill, based in Virginia, told Fox News Digital swimmers should "not overestimate [their] ability to handle rough conditions."

"The larger surf leads to more opportunity for strong rip currents," he said.

Rescue events, he added, "are not as uncommon as they seem," particularly during periods of dangerous surf.