𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐄: 𝐌𝐀𝐔𝐈 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐄 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐌𝐒 𝟑𝟔 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊

At least 36 people have died as fast-moving wildfires tear through the Hawaiian island of Maui, according to officials.

The deaths in the city of Lahaina, the island's main tourist destination, came as strong winds from a distant hurricane fanned the flames.

The fire is one of several ongoing blazes that have burnt entire neighborhood's to the ground. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes and a state of emergency has been declared.

A huge search and rescue operation is underway, with some people still unaccounted for.
"We barely made it out in time," Kamuela Kawaakoa, who fled to an evacuation shelter on Tuesday with his partner and six-year-old son, told the Associated Press. "It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," he said. "I was helpless."

Five evacuation shelters have been opened on Maui and officials earlier said they were "overrun" with people. Firefighters are still battling active fires, with helicopters dropping water on the blazes from above.

Dozens of people have been injured since the fires began burning on Tuesday and hospitals on the island are treating patients for burns and smoke inhalation.

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃

Three persons have appeared in court jointly charged with Demanding Money by Menace from a D’Abadie man.

Joel Patrick, 24 and Lorenzo Julien, 24 both of Diego Martin and Kaviann Alexis, 26, of D’Abadie, appeared before the Arima First Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday 8th August.

Patrick was granted bail in the sum of $300,000 with surety, Julien pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to four years hard labour, while Alexis was denied bail and remanded into custody.
The matter was adjourned to September 5th, 2023.

A male victim reported to police that on July 12th, he allegedly received calls from a blocked number demanding that he pay the sum of $30,000 by the next day, or some harm will come to him or his family. The following day, he allegedly received more calls demanding that he pay the sum in five days’ time.

A report of the matter was made to the Arima Criminal.

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is warning individuals against engaging in this type of activity, as they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

𝟐 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃, 𝟑 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐈𝐙𝐄𝐃
Two persons were arrested while three firearms, one magazine and 20 rounds of ammunition were seized by officers, during anti-crime exercises in various policing districts on Wednesday.

In the Southern Division on August 9th, one man from Indian Walk was arrested and a pistol was seized in the Princes Town district. Meanwhile, a revolver was found in a dumpster along Bayshore in Marabella, by officers of the Southern Division Task Force.

Also on that day, in the Western Division, a search warrant was executed at an Abbe Poujade Street, Carenage residence, where one man was arrested and charged in connection with the find of a Glock 19 firearm with an extended magazine and 13 rounds of ammunition.

Investigations are ongoing into the above matters.

A plus variety

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍- 𝐊𝐈𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is seeking the urgent assistance of the public in locating 16-year-old KIMBERLY MOHAMMED.

KIMBERLY, of Balmain, Couva, was last seen around 10 pm on August 10th and reported missing to the Couva Police Station around 2 am on August 11th, 2023.

She is of East Indian descent, of slim build, brown in complexion, with brown eyes, a small mouth, rounded chin and a round face. She was last seen wearing a blue jeans and a black t-shirt.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of KIMBERLY MOHAMMED, is asked to call the Couva Police Station at 636-2333 or 800-TIPS or contact the police at 555, 999, 911, or call any police station.