Carib Scope

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  • “I Grabbed His Mouth and Fought”: Guinea Grass Man Survives Crocodile Attack

    “I Grabbed His Mouth and Fought”: Guinea Grass Man Survives Crocodile Attack

    In the early hours of a Sunday morning in August 2026, a 29-year-old resident of Guinea Grass, Belize, walked away from a harrowing brush with death after a large crocodile attacked him while he swam at one of the village’s most frequented local recreation spots: New River Park.

    Leomar Narvallez, the attack survivor, recounted that the encounter came completely without warning. He had been swimming alongside other visitors in the river when he suddenly felt a heavy, powerful clamp lock around his head. Before he could react, the crocodile began shaking its prey violently, a common predatory behavior to tear flesh from victims. “I was in the river swimming when something grabbed my head,” Narvallez described in the aftermath of the attack. “Then it started shaking me, just like crocodiles do when they bite you and try to tear you apart. It shook my head twice – I never saw this coming at all.”

    Trapped underwater with his head still held firmly in the reptile’s jaws, Narvallez made a split-second decision that likely saved his life: instead of panicking, he would fight back. He pushed his hand against the crocodile’s teeth to work his head free of its grip, a struggle that lasted less than 10 seconds – six seconds, by his own count, with the entire attack wrapping up in under 20 seconds. Narvallez estimated the attacking crocodile measured between 9 and 10 feet long, and added that local reports had already confirmed a second, even larger crocodile living in the same stretch of river near the park.

    “The crocodile got off my head, and I immediately jumped to grab a tire that was hanging from a rope over the water to pull myself up,” he said. By that point, he was bleeding heavily from the bite wounds on his head. When he first alerted his friends who were at the park, they did not immediately understand the severity of his injuries. It was only when they turned on a light and saw him spitting blood that they realized how grave the situation was.

    Afraid the crocodile was still waiting nearby for another chance to attack, Narvallez told his friends not to approach him, and instead sent them to find a canoe. He clung to the tire for roughly 10 minutes, bleeding steadily, until relatives who lived close to the park arrived with a canoe to pull him to safety.

    Narvallez was rushed immediately to Northern Regional Hospital for emergency care. Doctors closed his head wounds with approximately 28 stitches, and while his hands were badly bruised from the struggle, he suffered no other life-altering or critical injuries. He was released from the hospital the same day as the attack, and is now recovering at home.

    Now, as he heals, Narvallez’s greatest priority is raising awareness of the ongoing danger at New River Park, a spot that local children visit regularly to swim and bathe throughout the day. He emphasized that once a crocodile has tasted human blood, it is far more likely to return to the same area to hunt again – and not everyone will be as lucky as he was to survive.

    “I really want to leave this message: everyone needs to be extremely careful right now,” Narvallez said. “That crocodile has tasted blood, it will stay around this spot until authorities catch and remove it. More people could get attacked, and they might not get out alive. There are so many little kids who come here to bathe every morning, all through the day, sometimes until 6 p.m. This is an extremely dangerous situation. I want to spread this safety warning to everyone in the village, especially families – don’t let your children come here right now. If that crocodile catches a child, we can’t predict how bad it will end.”

  • Senator Quinc Britton congratulates traditional mas bands

    Senator Quinc Britton congratulates traditional mas bands

    As the curtain falls on the 2026 iteration of Grenada’s iconic Spicemas festival, top officials from the country’s Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture have extended warm recognition to participants and winners of the Traditional Mas Competition, highlighting the cultural form’s central role in defining Grenadian national identity.

    Senator Quinc Britton, Parliamentary Secretary within the ministry, offered heartfelt congratulations to all competition champions in an official statement. He commended the extraordinary creativity, meticulous craftsmanship, and unwavering commitment that mas practitioners bring to breathing new life into Grenada’s centuries-old cultural legacy. “Your outstanding presentations remind us of the beauty and significance of Grenada’s traditional mas, and the responsibility we all share in preserving these treasured traditions for generations to come,” Britton said.

    Beyond honoring prize recipients, Britton paid tribute to the full ecosystem of creators that sustain the annual tradition, from full traditional mas bands and individual masqueraders to costume designers, structure builders, musicians, and behind-the-scenes volunteers who contribute year after year. He emphasized that every participant plays an invaluable role in keeping the heritage alive, regardless of whether they took home an award. “Whether you took home a prize or simply participated, your contribution is invaluable,” he noted. “Thank you for helping to showcase the creativity, history and identity that make Grenadian culture special.”

    Britton also called on long-standing leaders and practitioners of traditional mas to prioritize passing down their skills and knowledge to younger generations, a step that would ensure future communities continue to embrace and celebrate this core part of Grenadian cultural life.

    Britton’s remarks follow earlier congratulations from Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Minister the Honorable Adrian Thomas, who extended praise to winners of all major Spicemas 2026 events, including the popular Kiddies Carnival segment. Thomas affirmed that this year’s festival reinforced Grenada’s long-held reputation for exceptional carnival art, stating that Spicemas 2026 proved the country continues to host “the best mas by far.”

    This report was shared via the Ministry of Tourism, the Creative Economy and Culture. NOW Grenada notes it does not take responsibility for contributor opinions, statements, or third-party media content included in this release, and invites users to report any abusive content via official platform channels.

  • Saint Lucia win Dominica tapeball invitational

    Saint Lucia win Dominica tapeball invitational

    A midweek invitational tapeball cricket clash between touring Saint Lucia sides and Dominica’s Dynamic Stars ended in a Duckworth-Lewis victory for the Caribbean visitors on August 12, capping a short break from a planned bilateral series between Saint Lucia’s national and veterans squads and their hosts from the Kalinago Territory. The multi-format tour, which combines a lineup of 10-over T10 and 20-over T20 matches across the week, is scheduled to run through Sunday, bringing cross-island competitive cricket to Dominican grounds.

    In the standalone invitational fixture at Dominica’s Jolly John Playing Field, Saint Lucia won the coin toss and opted to open batting first, posting a solid total of 180 runs for the loss of 5 wickets over 15 shortened overs. Top-order batter Barry Eurysthee anchored the innings with a quickfire 51 runs, supported by valuable contributions from Nicholas Bruno (44) and Fendley Estephane (32) that pushed the visitors’ run rate to a challenging level. For the home side Dynamic Stars, bowler Dante Laurent claimed the best bowling figures of the innings, securing two wickets to limit Saint Lucia’s late-innings surge.

    In response, Dynamic Stars’ batting got a major boost from a standout innings by Neo Davis, who struck an unbeaten 77 to keep the home side in the hunt. However, unplayable bad light forced officials to call off play early when Dynamic Stars had reached 157 runs for 7 wickets after 13 overs. When the D/L method was applied to adjust targets for the shortened match, Saint Lucia emerged with a comfortable victory. Eurysthee, Saint Lucia’s captain, earned the Man of the Match award for his dual contributions: he not only led the batting with his half-century but also claimed two key wickets, alongside bowler Kim Augustin who also took two wickets to restrict the hosts’ run chase.

    With the invitational side game completed, the touring Saint Lucia squads have returned to the core bilateral series for the final four days of the Caribbean tour. The scheduled action kicks off Thursday with a T10 fixture between the two sides’ veterans teams, followed by a T20 clash between the full national squads. Two more T20 matches are set to be held on Friday, while Saturday will host a T10 Festival featuring four back-to-back matches. The entire tour will wrap up on Sunday with the final competitive fixtures hosted in Roseau, Dominica’s capital.

  • Saint Lucia women lose, men win ECVA openers

    Saint Lucia women lose, men win ECVA openers

    The 2026 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Championships kicked off Wednesday at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, delivering a dramatic opening day that delivered contrasting results for Saint Lucia’s national squads. As the defending women’s champions prepared to launch their title defense, they faced off against a determined Bermuda side that had been waiting for revenge after two prior final losses to Saint Lucia. In what organizers called a thrilling five-set thriller, Bermuda pulled off a hard-earned 3-2 victory, with set scores reading 18-25, 25-14, 25-21, 13-25, 15-10.

    Speaking after the upset win, Bermuda captain Natalie Gazzard reflected on the team’s months of preparation for the contest. Gazzard noted that her side entered the match knowing full well the challenge of facing the reigning champions, who had beaten Bermuda in two straight ECVA finals. She credited her team’s intense summer training built around a “nothing touches the ground” work ethic, and specifically praised her hitters and setter for their consistent court control throughout the match. Gazzard said she was deeply proud of the squad’s performance, adding that she felt the team dominated key stretches of the contest to earn the milestone win.

    On the men’s side of the opening day draw, Saint Lucia authored an upset of their own, battling back from a two-set deficit to defeat Antigua & Barbuda in another five-set classic. The final set scores confirmed Saint Lucia’s 3-2 win: 25-21, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-10. In post-match comments, the Saint Lucia Volleyball Association described the opener as a grueling, hard-fought battle, highlighting that the team’s unmatched determination and resilience were the key to turning the tide after falling behind early.

    Sheldon Descartes, captain of Saint Lucia’s men’s squad, shared that the team prioritized meticulous preparation even in the weeks leading up to the tournament. “Even in practice, we were making sure that we were planning out some of our routes as to what we need to execute to get the game done,” Descartes explained. The captain acknowledged that after dropping the second and third sets, the squad briefly lost focus and strayed from their game plan. But a critical mid-match reset allowed the team to regain its composure: “But as soon as we got back in the game, we made sure we stayed on point,” he added, crediting that adjusted focus for the comeback win. As the tournament continues, both Saint Lucia squads will look to build on their opening day results, with the men looking to carry their momentum forward and the women aiming to bounce back from their narrow opening loss in their title defense campaign.

  • UPDATE: Police officer charged with murder of missing teen; investigation reveals alleged cover-up

    UPDATE: Police officer charged with murder of missing teen; investigation reveals alleged cover-up

    The weeks-long search for a missing teenage girl in Dominica has concluded in devastating tragedy, with law enforcement officials confirming 16-year-old Portsmouth resident Jerbiah Paul was murdered, and a former serving police officer has been formally charged in connection with her killing.

    Jean Luc-Rudy Langlais, who previously served with the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF), appeared before the Magistrate’s Court this Thursday to face a single count of murder. Immediately following the filing of charges, Langlais was dismissed from the police service and remanded into custody at the State Prison, where he will remain as the legal process moves forward.

    The murder charge comes after an intensive, multi-agency investigation launched when Paul was reported missing on July 24. Search teams located her remains on Wednesday, August 12, dumped on a steep precipice in Dominica’s Capuchin region.

    Due to the severe decomposition of the body, initial identification efforts were delayed. When the remains were first found, Police Public Relations Officer Acting Assistant Superintendent Fixton Henderson told reporters that investigators had recovered the body of an apparent female dressed in a blue top, but the remains were too degraded to confirm identity immediately. “DNA testing will be required to formally confirm who the remains belong to,” Henderson stated in an earlier media briefing, adding that authorities released early details to prevent widespread unfounded speculation amid the ongoing search for Paul.

    Prior to formal confirmation, law enforcement sources had already connected the remains to the missing teenager, who was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt the day she disappeared. On Thursday, Police Chief Lincoln Corbette officially confirmed that the remains belonged to Paul and that Langlais had been charged with her murder, while stressing the investigation remains active and ongoing.

    Speaking at a formal press conference, Corbette expressed deep sorrow over the killing, noting the case is uniquely distressing because the accused was a member of the public institution trusted with protecting Dominican citizens. “This is still an active investigation, so I cannot share extensive details at this time to avoid jeopardizing the upcoming prosecution,” he explained. Speaking both as the head of the national police force and as a father himself, Corbette extended sincere condolences to Paul’s family, calling her death “truly heartbreaking.” He also issued a public pledge that investigators would leave no avenue unexplored to secure justice. “No stone will remain unturned,” Corbette said. “We will ensure that anyone involved in Jerbiah’s murder faces the full extent of the law.”

    National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmore also shared his profound sorrow over the tragic circumstances of Paul’s death, acknowledging the deep seriousness of the accusation that a serving police officer killed a young resident. While calling the allegations deeply disturbing, Blackmore urged rank-and-file police officers not to let the actions of one individual weaken their commitment to serving the Dominican public. He emphasized that the vast majority of the country’s police officers continue to carry out their roles with professionalism and accountability, and appealed to the public not to lose trust in the entire police institution because of the actions of one accused person.

    Blackmore also reaffirmed that Dominican law enforcement treats all missing person reports with the highest priority, and called on media outlets and members of the public to practice restraint and responsibility throughout the criminal investigation process.

    As investigators continue to map out the timeline of events leading up to Paul’s death, they have uncovered what they describe as a sophisticated plot to cover up the crime. According to lead investigators, after Paul was killed, Langlais and other unidentified co-conspirators created fake social media accounts, which they used to post messages designed to trick the public and investigators into believing the teenager was still alive. Authorities say the deceptive scheme was intended to mislead search teams, disrupt the search effort, divert public attention, and delay the discovery of Paul’s remains.

    Investigators have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges being filed against other people who allegedly assisted in the cover-up or otherwise obstructed the ongoing investigation.

    The case has sent shockwaves across the small Caribbean nation of Dominica, driven both by the brutal killing of a teenage girl and the fact that the person accused of her murder was a sworn police officer tasked with protecting the country’s citizens.

  • Women At Higher Risk of Death During Heatwaves

    Women At Higher Risk of Death During Heatwaves

    As global temperatures continue to climb and extreme heat events grow more frequent, new research from United Kingdom health specialists has uncovered a stark, underrecognized public health gap: women face far more severe health consequences and higher death risks during heatwaves than men.

    Extreme high temperatures act as an unexpected physical stress test on the female cardiovascular system, pushing the body beyond its tolerance limits and elevating the likelihood of life-threatening heat-related illness. The findings, which align with guidance from UN Women, point to a combination of biological, socioeconomic and structural factors that combine to put women and girls at unique risk across every stage of life.

    Biologically, women have key physiological differences that reduce their ability to cope with extreme heat. On average, women produce less sweat than men — a critical natural cooling mechanism that helps the body regulate internal temperature during hot weather. Hormonal shifts throughout life further exacerbate this vulnerability: menstruation causes iron loss that places extra strain on the heart, while lower estrogen levels during menopause intensify hot flashes and night sweats, making extreme heat even more uncomfortable and dangerous. For pregnant people, the body already generates extra heat to support fetal development, and increased fluid needs raise the risk of dehydration. Research also links maternal heat exposure to adverse birth outcomes including pre-term labor and low birth weight, putting both parent and child at risk.

    Older women face the most elevated overall danger, the study confirms. This demographic is more likely to live with dementia, which impairs the body’s ability to recognize thirst signals and communicate the need for cooling or hydration. Many older women also take diuretic medications to manage chronic health conditions, which further disrupt fluid balance and reduce the body’s ability to tolerate extreme heat.

    Beyond biological factors, extreme heat deepens pre-existing gender inequalities that amplify risk, UN Women notes. Women and girls living in rural regions, informal urban slums, disaster zones and conflict-affected communities often face systemic barriers to accessing critical resources that protect against heat: electricity for air conditioning or fans, reliable healthcare services, safe temperature-regulated housing, and clean drinking water. In many communities, women bear the primary responsibility for collecting water for their households, a task that forces prolonged exposure to extreme heat and increases the risk of heat stroke and dehydration. In areas with inadequate sanitation infrastructure, managing menstruation during heatwaves becomes even more challenging, adding another layer of health risk.

    As climate change drives more frequent and more intense heatwaves globally, medical and public health experts are now calling for urgent action to close this protection gap. They emphasize the need for targeted public awareness campaigns to educate women, caregivers and healthcare providers about the unique risks women face, as well as policy interventions to expand access to cooling and healthcare for vulnerable communities. Without targeted changes to public heat safety strategies, experts warn that the gender gap in heat-related death and illness will continue to widen as temperatures rise.

  • CARICOM-ministers van Onderwijs starten tweedaagse vergadering in Guyana

    CARICOM-ministers van Onderwijs starten tweedaagse vergadering in Guyana

    On Wednesday, education ministers from across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) convened in Georgetown, Guyana, for the opening of the 52nd meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development – Education, a two-day gathering that coincides with the annual International Youth Day to amplify focus on youth opportunity across the region. Dirk Currie, Minister of Education, Science and Culture, is among the high-level delegates participating in the meeting, which is chaired by Guyana’s own Minister of Education Sonia Parag.

    This year’s summit centers on the unifying theme “Educating for Life, Purpose and Caribbean Progress.” During the opening plenary session, Parag pushed back against the narrow framing of education as mere knowledge transfer and exam preparation, arguing that 21st-century schooling must prioritize equipping learners with transferable critical thinking skills, adaptive capacity to navigate a rapidly shifting global landscape, and the tools to contribute meaningfully to their local and national communities.

    In addition to cabinet-level education ministers from CARICOM member states, the gathering brings together representatives from regional educational bodies, international partner organizations, and a wide range of education sector stakeholders. Key topics on the meeting’s working agenda include the expansion of micro-credentialing programs across the region, the development of standardized regional education assessments, strengthening primary and secondary mathematics curricula, and expanding structured professional development opportunities for in-service teachers throughout CARICOM member nations.

    CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett used her opening address to shine a spotlight on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), a sector she framed as increasingly critical to the bloc’s economic resilience and employment outcomes. Barnett emphasized that technical, vocational, and digital literacy skills are growing in demand across every sector of the Caribbean economy, linking widespread access to high-quality TVET directly to improved job placement and long-term economic stability for member states. “TVET is recognized as a strategic investment in the resilience and competitiveness of the entire region,” Barnett stated in her remarks.

    Barnett shared her optimism that the two-day meeting will deliver actionable policy frameworks to strengthen national education systems across the bloc, and advance a shared regional vision for education: an inclusive learning environment that values every student, fosters cross-border and cross-institutional collaboration, and prepares all Caribbean citizens to thrive in an increasingly interconnected, dynamic global economy.

    The timing of the summit, which overlaps with International Youth Day, underscores the urgent priority CARICOM places on expanding accessible, inclusive education, mental health support, and economic opportunity for young people across the region. Ultimately, the meeting forms a key part of CARICOM’s ongoing effort to refine regional education policy, with the core goal of equipping young Caribbean people with the skills and knowledge they need to flourish amid global change and drive long-term sustainable development across the Caribbean bloc.

  • BCCI Denies Refusing Cabinet Meeting

    BCCI Denies Refusing Cabinet Meeting

    In a public statement released on August 13, 2026, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has moved quickly to correct widespread misreports claiming it refused an invitation to attend a Cabinet meeting discussing the controversial proposed BTL-Speednet acquisition. The business advocacy group emphasized that characterizations of its refusal to engage are entirely inaccurate and a deliberate mischaracterization of the situation.

    According to the official BCCI statement, the chamber’s top leadership – its president and chief executive officer – were already committed to an official trade mission when the Thursday meeting was scheduled. Both executives are part of the official Belizean government delegation traveling to El Salvador, where they will remain through August 14 to participate in the formal signing of the new Belize-El Salvador Partial Scope Agreement. This landmark trade agreement, which the BCCI has long supported, is projected to unlock significant new cross-border commercial opportunities for hundreds of small and medium-sized Belizean businesses operating across key sectors of the national economy.

    Rather than turning down the meeting out of reluctance to discuss the acquisition, the BCCI explained that it formally requested a short rescheduling to accommodate this pre-existing, high-priority international commitment. The chamber has underscored that it remains fully willing and prepared to sit down with Cabinet, alongside all of Belize’s other social and industry partner groups, at any point before the scheduled final Cabinet vote on the acquisition, which is set to take place on August 18.

    Turning to the substance of the proposed acquisition itself, the BCCI reaffirmed that its official position on the deal remains unchanged. The organization confirmed that its core concerns related to four critical areas – long-term market competition in Belize’s telecommunications sector, transaction transparency, corporate governance standards, and independent regulatory oversight – have not yet received clear, direct responses from the Belizean government. The BCCI stated that it will continue pressing for definitive answers from public officials before the final decision is made, to ensure any approved acquisition aligns with the best interests of Belize’s business community and broader national economy. The statement also comes amid separate reports that independent senators have pushed back against claims from BTL that they were invited to weigh in on the proposed transaction.

  • When will Saint Lucia get a North-South link road?

    When will Saint Lucia get a North-South link road?

    For over 20 years, the proposal for a North-South Link Road has circulated among policymakers and communities in Saint Lucia, conceived to resolve one of the island nation’s most persistent transportation challenges: creating a reliable, efficient travel corridor between the northern and southern ends of the island that bypasses the heavily congested capital city of Castries.

    Despite decades of discussion and planning, however, the ambitious infrastructure project has yet to move past the conceptual phase. As Infrastructure Minister Shawn Edward confirmed in an exclusive interview with St. Lucia Times on the sidelines of a Parliament session Tuesday, the project remains in early stages even as it has been elevated to a top government priority, drawing new interest from private firms eager to explore development and financing options.

    First formally evaluated in 2001, the North-South Link Road idea gained broader public and policy attention over the subsequent 10 years, with the Caribbean Development Bank once funding a comprehensive feasibility study to map potential routes and analyze the project’s viability. The planned corridor would run along Saint Lucia’s northeastern coast, connecting the northern town of Gros Islet directly to the southern community of Dennery, eliminating the need for all north-south traffic to cut through the capital’s crowded urban streets.

    Edward framed the project as a response to a long-recognized critical need for improved interregional connectivity on the island. If completed, officials project it would become one of the largest public capital infrastructure projects ever undertaken by the Saint Lucian government, delivering a wide range of projected benefits: reduced average travel times between the island’s two ends, eased traffic congestion within Castries, unlocked new economic development opportunities across the underdeveloped northeastern coast, and provided a critical alternative evacuation and travel route if existing primary roads are disabled by hurricanes, landslides or other natural disasters common to the Caribbean.

    Still, converting the decades-old concept into a paved highway has faced significant, long-standing barriers. Earlier feasibility assessments concluded that construction costs would be prohibitively high for the island nation, while environmental advocates raised serious concerns over the potential ecological damage the northeastern route could cause, as it would pass through several ecologically sensitive coastal and inland areas.

    Edward’s recent comments signal a renewed push from the current administration to re-examine the project, after multiple previous iterations stalled out over the past two decades. To date, the government has received interest from several private entities, with the minister confirming he has held direct meetings with representatives from four to five firms, alongside formal correspondence from additional groups partnered with local Saint Lucian business interests.

    For now, the project remains anchored at the concept stage, with its future trajectory hinging entirely on two core factors: securing a viable financing structure that addresses the project’s historic cost challenges, and selecting a development proposal that aligns with the government’s priorities. Edward emphasized that the North-South Link Road holds a spot on his ministry’s and the current government’s official priority list, and he expects to release a far more concrete update on the project’s path forward, including details on financing frameworks, within the next few months. When pressed on whether Saint Lucians can expect tangible construction progress during the current government’s term, Edward declined to commit to a firm timeline, noting that additional assessments and negotiations will be required before any definitive commitments can be made.

  • Hurricane Watch Issued for Hawaii as TS Lala Forms

    Hurricane Watch Issued for Hawaii as TS Lala Forms

    On August 13, 2026, U.S. weather officials confirmed that Tropical Storm Lala has organized into a named tropical system over the central Pacific Ocean, triggering an official hurricane watch for Hawaii’s largest island, the Big Island, ahead of the storm’s expected arrival this coming weekend. Forecasters from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) outlined that Lala will begin bringing inclement weather to the entire Hawaiian island chain starting late Friday, with hazards including intense rainfall, gusty high winds, and life-threatening surf conditions along coastal areas.

    As of the latest NHC advisory, the newly formed storm was positioned approximately 700 miles east-southeast of the Hawaiian Islands, with maximum sustained winds holding at 40 miles per hour – the minimum threshold for a tropical storm – and tracking steadily westward toward the island chain. Current long-range forecast models indicate Lala will continue to gain strength as it traverses warm Pacific waters, and could reach Category 1 hurricane intensity just as it approaches the Big Island. NHC officials note that a hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of expected hazardous conditions, signaling that hurricane-force winds are a distinct possibility in the watch area.

    The primary hazard posed by Lala, forecasters emphasize, is extreme rainfall that could trigger widespread flooding and dangerous mudslides across hilly and mountainous areas of the islands. Precipitation projections call for total accumulations of 5 to 10 inches across most of the island chain, with isolated parts of the Big Island potentially seeing as much as 20 inches of rain over the multi-day event.

    In a separate development in the Pacific on Thursday, a second tropical system, Tropical Storm Hernan, also formed far from any populated landmasses. As of the latest update, Hernan was located roughly 1,460 miles west of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. The storm is tracking west-southwest across open ocean, and forecasters confirm it currently poses no threat to any coastal or island land areas.