EXPLAINER: What are rip currents?

The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) said in a statement that student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili drowned after they were swept away by a rip tide or rip current, which caused them to end up in the deep part of the sea.

In a report on the "State of the Nation", the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said rip current is a narrow surface current that pulls away anything from the beach toward deeper waters.

One will be able to detect rip current by observing the waves.

Beachgoers are advised to watch for areas of the sea where waves appear not to be breaking, as this may indicate the presence of a rip current.

"Rip current speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second, but speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured. That is faster than an Olympic swimmer! Drowning deaths occur when people, pulled away from the shoreline, are unable to keep themselves afloat and swim to shore," the NOAA said.

"This may be due to any combination of fear, panic, exhaustion, or lack of swimming skills. Once people become tired, they can easily go under without flotation to hold onto."

If you are pulled by a rip current, experts advise to relax. If you are able to swim, try to swim through the rip current back to shore.

If you are on the shore and see someone drowning, stay calm and ask for help from the lifeguard or authorities.

If no one is available for help, find a flotation device or something that floats that you can throw. And if possible, avoid going into the water.

If you have to swim to rescue the victim, it is best to carry a flotation device. — BAP/VBL, GMA News