(LOS ANGELES) — A 4.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Malibu, California, rocked the Los Angeles area Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A 2.8 magnitude aftershock was registered in Malibu two minutes after the initial quake.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Francine is churning in the Gulf and is set to strengthen to a hurricane before making landfall in Louisiana.
Francine is forecast to be a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph winds by Wednesday. Landfall is forecast in western Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon.
A hurricane watch has been issued in Louisiana, from Cameron to Grand Isle.
A storm surge watch is in effect from Texas to the Mississippi-Alabama border.
By Tuesday morning, Francine’s outer bands will bring heavy rain and gusty winds to Texas. The rough weather will last through the day along the coast, including Houston.
By Wednesday morning, conditions will deteriorate rapidly in southwestern Louisiana. Heavy rain and flooding is expected throughout the day.
About 5 to 8 inches of rain, with locally up to 1 foot, is forecast from Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle through Thursday morning.
(NEW YORK) — Two burglars swiped memorabilia from St. John’s University men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino’s office on the New York City campus, according to police.
Items including a basketball and bullhorn were taken during the break-in Tuesday evening in Queens, according to police.
The suspects fled on a moped, the NYPD said.
The unidentified suspects remain at large. Both were captured in footage from a university camera that was released by police. One appeared to be holding a bullhorn and the other a small sword in the footage.
Pitino said on social media that he was “really upset” about the burglary and was “livid” over the theft of a vintage bottle of wine — a 1985 6L Petrus Pomerol, which sells for tens of thousands of dollars on some collectible wine sites — though later clarified that he was joking.
“I would never keep that on my desk! Saving that one in a wine cellar to open after the Johnnies go to the final four!” he said on X.
The incident occurred at approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to St. John’s spokesperson Brian Browne.
“Property was stolen from an office in the Athletics Department,” Browne said in a statement. “The University shared surveillance footage with the NYPD and is assisting in the ongoing investigation.”
Pitino has served as the coach of the Big East team since 2023. He gained stardom coaching at the University of Kentucky, winning a national title in 1996.
He had short stints with the NBA’s Boston Celtics and New York Knicks before returning to college at the University of Louisville. He coached the Cardinals from 2001 to 2017 and won the national title in 2013, though it was later vacated for NCAA violations.
He was also inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that Pitino says he was joking about the wine being stolen.
(BELLE GLADE, Fla.) — Nine people are dead, including six children, after a vehicle overturned in a Florida canal, authorities said.
A lone survivor who was injured in the crash remains hospitalized, authorities said.
The incident occurred Monday evening in Palm Beach County. At approximately 7:30 p.m., authorities began receiving calls reporting a car in a canal near Belle Glade, authorities said. First responders found a vehicle upside down with only the wheels visible, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes.
The vehicle had been traveling westbound on Hatton Highway when, “for undetermined reasons,” the driver failed to properly negotiate a left curve in the roadway, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s accident report. The vehicle went off the roadway onto the shoulder before hitting a guardrail and overturning in the canal, according to the accident report.
Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office. Six others were transported to a local hospital, including two via helicopter, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Five people subsequently died at the hospital, the sheriff’s office said.
The deceased victims included six children — a 1-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy, two 5-year-old boys, an 8-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy — according to the accident report. Three women — ages 21, 30 and the 56-year-old driver — were also killed, according to the accident report.
The lone surviving passenger was identified by the accident report as 26-year-old Jorden Hall. He suffered serious injuries in the crash and remains hospitalized, according to the accident report.
“We have one survivor for a total of 10 victims including babies,” the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families during this heartbreaking incident.”
Fire rescue personnel, including divers, along with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene, officials said.
The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash.