Four children among tourists stung by Portuguese man-o-wars on NC beach, rescuers say

Four children were among the tourists stung by Portuguese man-o-wars on North Carolina’s Oak Island, according to Oak Island Water Rescue.

The tentacled sea creatures began washing up on beaches over the Fourth of July weekend, resulting in warnings being posted on social media.

“We .... received messages of at least six people stung including four children, at various locations on the beach,” Oak Island Water Rescue wrote in a Facebook post.

“Do not touch them. Their sting is extremely painful.”

Man-o-wars were also seen washing up to the south at nearby Holden Beach.

Kasey Uthus said her 6-year-old son was among those stung Monday, July 3, at Oak Island.

“He was playing in the sand and moved away when we saw it but the tentacles are longer than you think,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

“It was very scary but he’s doing okay. ... We truly appreciate everyone who (rushed to help) including the lady who witnessed it happen and immediately stepped in.”

Portuguese man-o-wars are carried by wind and ocean currents and resemble jellyfish. However, they are actually “comprised of a colony of specialized, genetically identical individuals called zooids — clones — with various forms and functions, all working together as one,” NOAA says.

Their tentacles average 30 feet in length, but may extend nearly 100 feet, experts say.

“The tentacles contain stinging nematocysts, microscopic capsules loaded with coiled, barbed tubes that deliver venom capable of paralyzing and killing small fish and crustaceans,” NOAA says. “While the man o’ war’s sting is rarely deadly to people, it packs a painful punch and causes welts on exposed skin.”

When the creatures wash ashore, the tentacles can spread across the sand, stinging those who wander by without shoes, experts say.