Beachgoers were in for quite the surprise as a swarm of dragonflies invaded their beach day in Rhode Island on Saturday. (Video courtesy of Michael Grover)
BOSTON – Dozens of beaches along the Massachusetts coastline are currently closed due to high levels of harmful bacteria, marking a record number of closures this season.
As of Wednesday morning, 42 out of 54 closures listed on the Massachusetts Beach Water Quality Dashboard were closed to swimmers due to “bacterial exceedance” or harmful cyanobacteria blooms.
If a beach is closed, state officials advise against swimming or entering the water at that location to avoid the risk of gastrointestinal and respiratory health issues.
You can view the complete list of beach closures in Massachusetts here or in the table below.
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The state tests water quality every week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The dashboard updates daily at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. throughout the beach season.