Against Federal Advice Pensacola Beach Opens; Over 400 people sick

Against Federal Advice Pensacola Beach Opens; Over 400 people sick

So far, 400 people have sought medical care for upper or lower respiratory problems, headaches, nausea, and eye irritation after trips to Escambia County beaches, Lanza said.

By 10 a.m. on Friday, the double red flags prohibiting beachgoers from the water were replaced with yellow flags.“We’re flying the yellow flags. And that means you need to be careful where you step,” Lee said. “Just be careful and have a good time.”

But oil chips, tar balls and submerged oil slicks and the odor of petroleum still were present.

And people complained about getting a petroleum jelly-like substance on them from sand that was tainted brown.Swimmers who did venture into the water questioned whether it was really safe to wade, swim and play in the Gulf, especially when they had to walk through a line of tar balls and stay clear of skimmers scooping up oil just 25 and 50 feet from the shore.

Read more of the story and view the pics at the link above!