GULF SHORES, Ala. - The City of Gulf Shores closed all the beaches to all swimmers on Monday, due to the dangerous rip currents, but reopened waters on Tuesday morning as both cities had yellow beach warning flags flying.

The closings were prompted by a drowning Monday afternoon in the city following three drownings in Fort Morgan on Sunday.

Beach Safety Director Melvin Shepard sent a text to city personnel saying that the city wasn’t closing beaches but was remaining with the single red flag meaning high caution.

Gulf Shores spokesman Grant Brown said the number of rescues the city’s crews have performed and the recent deaths prompted the closing.

“The significant threat of rip currents out in the Gulf, the numbers of rescues and unfortunately drownings warrant that move at least until the conditions that are existing subside,” Brown said. “This is a difficult call to make. You look at the surf itself does not look ominous like it typically does when you have those kind of conditions.”

Brown didn’t know the identity of the Monday drowning victim.

“Unfortunately we had one gentleman just west of the state park pier who didn’t make it,” he said. “His body was discovered by a tourist helicopter that was called in the area to help search. The Marine Police picked him up and carried him back around to the marine police dock.”

Three other rescue operations in the West Beach area of the city were successful.

“They turned out well, people are out of the water and doing fine,” Brown said.

Double red flags are usually a level of safety officials use during stormier conditions.

“The double red flags that allow the mayor to declare the waters closed are typically used more for hurricanes, tropical storm warnings, those kind of days,” Brown said. “But today people were lulled into thinking it was safe to go back out there. It’s been a difficult day today to follow up yesterday.”

For more information on beaches in the Gulf Shores call 251-968-TIDE. In Orange Beach the number for surf conditions is 251-981-SURF (7873).