Residents in Jamaica prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm, following significant damage and casualties in the southeast Caribbean. Preparations in Kingston include boarding up windows and securing boats, as the storm is expected to maintain near-major-hurricane strength when it reaches the region.
On Wednesday, Hurricane Beryl approached Jamaica as residents prepared for the powerful Category 4 storm. Beryl had previously caused significant damage across the southeast Caribbean, leaving at least six dead. In Kingston, Jamaica, preparations included boarding up windows, securing boats, and dismantling advertising boards.
A hurricane warning was issued for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, with expectations that Beryl would weaken slightly but maintain near-major-hurricane strength when it reached Jamaica on Wednesday, the Cayman Islands on Thursday, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Friday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
As Beryl moved through the region, it peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with winds up to 165 mph before dropping to a Category 4. Early Wednesday, it was located about 185 miles east-southeast of Kingston with 145 mph winds.
In the Caribbean, Beryl’s impact was severe: Grenada and Carriacou reported three deaths, St. Vincent and the Grenadines another, and Venezuela recorded two fatalities with five missing. The storm caused significant infrastructure damage, particularly in Grenada’s Carriacou and Petit Martinique. A State of Emergency was declared in the affected regions, with damage assessments underway.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and U.S. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan urged residents to take shelter and follow evacuation orders, highlighting the threat of life-threatening winds and high storm surges.
International response included advisories from the UK Foreign Office, warning tourists about airport closures and extreme weather conditions resulting from Hurricane Beryl’s passage.
