While you were sleeping, we compiled the biggest stories of the day in one place. Each story has a quick and easy summary, so you're prepared for whatever the day brings. Just click on the links if you want to know more!
1. 3 systems in the Tropics: Farwell Fred, Greeting Grace and Hello Henri?
Tropical Storm Fred is moving towards the Panhandle and is expected to make landfall this evening around Panama City, then it will quickly dissipate by tomorrow evening as it moves inland.
Grace is now a tropical depression and will move over Hispaniola throughout the day today. The NHC keeps Grace south of Florida through the work week, then it will begin to move into the Gulf of Mexico where it could strengthen into a tropical storm as it nears the SE Gulf by Friday.
Tropical Depression Eight, sitting E of Bermuda, will wrap around Bermuda through the work week and could become Tropical Storm Henri (ahn-Ree) sometime this evening. No threat to Florida.
2. Death toll of powerful earthquake in Haiti soars to 1,297
The death toll from the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that battered Haiti is soaring as rescuers race to find survivors amid the rubble ahead of a potential deluge from Tropical Depression Grace.
Authorities on Sunday raised the casualty toll to at least 1,297 dead and 5,700 injured. Thousands more are displaced from their destroyed or damaged homes.
The devastation could soon worsen with the coming of Tropical Depression Grace, which is predicted to reach Haiti on Monday night, bringing the potential for heavy rain, flooding, and landslides.
3. The latest Florida coronavirus statistics:
Florida is the national leader in COVID-19 deaths, averaging more than 150 a day in the past week. Deaths jumped significantly from 600, reported in the previous week, to 1,071 reported this week, raising the total Florida coronavirus death toll to 40,766.
Statewide, Florida set a record last week, reporting 151,415 new COVID-19 cases, according to the state health department. The state reported an all-time high of 24,869 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker.
The state hospitalizations hit a record 15,840 but the state's vaccination rate for adults getting at least one dose reached 71.6% and 50% fully vaccinated among all Florida residents.
4. Chaos as thousands flee Afghanistan after Taliban takeover
Thousands packed into the Afghan capital’s airport on Monday, rushing the tarmac and pushing onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government.
The Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing a stunning end to a two-decade campaign in which the U.S. and its allies had tried to transform Afghanistan.
The country’s Western-trained security forces collapsed or fled in the face of an insurgent offensive that tore through the country in just over a week, ahead of the planned withdrawal of the last U.S. troops at the end of the month.
5. The Palm Beaches Restaurant Week starts today:
Featuring over 90 participating restaurants, The Palm Beaches Restaurant Week offers visitors and local “foodies” the opportunity to indulge in the best of dining in The Palm Beaches.
Over two weeks, participating restaurants will showcase multi-course, prix-fixe menus with prices starting at $25 for brunch and lunch, and $45 and/or $55 for dinner, while eateries offer additional dining deals.
On the heels of a tumultuous year for the restaurant industry, The Palm Beaches Restaurant Week provides an ideal opportunity for diners to show their support for the county’s local culinary scene, while enjoying more for less.
Today's Forecast
Heat index values in the triple digits and risk for excessive rainfall:
Get your complete hour-by-hour forecast here.
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On This Day In History
While salmon fishing near the Klondike River in Canada’s Yukon Territory on August 16, 1896, George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed. His lucky discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West.
Remember, you can join Mike Trim and Ashleigh Walters every weekday on WPTV NewsChannel 5 beginning at 4:30 a.m. And you can always watch the latest news from WPTV anytime on your favorite streaming device. Just search for "WPTV."
