Rough conditions lead to multiple rescues at Mooloolaba Beach| Video

Rough conditions have caught swimmers off guard on the Sunshine Coast amid a busy festival. It comes after a woman was pulled from the surf in a life-threatening condition further south on the Gold Coast. PHOTOS, VIDEO.

Ten people have been rescued from rip-torn seas at the Sunshine Coast’s Mooloolaba Beach on Saturday.

Sunshine Coast Chief Lifeguard Trent Robinson warned beachgoers to take extra care after multiple rescues were reported at the beach within hours.

The rescues coincided with an emergency further south where a woman was rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition after being pulled from the water at Main Beach on the Gold Coast.

“A lot of our beaches have got this really large incoming tide,” Mr Robinson explained.

“We’ve got a two-metre tide which has created a little bit of a gutter, and as soon as that tide starts moving out, which happened just after 10.30am, we’ve had a lot of water moving out to sea, which is getting a few people caught in some rips.”

Chief lifeguard Trent Robinson has urged everyone to follow lifeguard warnings as rough conditions batter Sunshine Coast beaches.

By midday, lifeguards had already saved about 10 people - a number Mr Robinson attributed partly to the Sunshine Coast Rugby 5s festival, which brought a bigger than-usual crowd to the area.

“We’ve got a lot of people who probably aren’t as experienced in the water as they should be, and a lot of them are just getting out of their depth and getting rescued,” he said, adding that none of the rescues had been too serious.

Surfers are making the most of rough conditions at Mooloolaba Beach and Alexandra Headland over the weekend.

Lifesavers at the beach said that even experienced swimmers were getting caught out.

Despite the conditions, Mr Robinson reassured the public that all beaches remained open.

He cautioned, however, that the rough conditions were expected to persist.

“This tide will probably be with us all week, and the swell is pretty normal for this time of year,” he said.

“The main difference is we’ve had such a good summer with no real swell and really nice conditions, so it’s been a bit of a shock for everyone to get used to these conditions.”

Rough conditions at Mooloolaba Beach and Alexandra Headland over the weekend led to multiple rescues.

He urged beachgoers be vigilant, especially during the high tide in the morning, and to stay between the red and yellow flags for safety.

“The main thing I ask for the public is to make sure they adhere to the lifeguard’s warnings … and stay away from those river mouths with this outgoing tide. We’ve had a few people getting caught out at the Maroochydore River mouth as well over the week.”

Originally published as Rough conditions lead to multiple rescues at Mooloolaba Beach| Video