Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 storm, has caused significant damage as it tore through the Caribbean, resulting in several fatalities and prompting emergency responses across multiple nations in the region.
On Tuesday, Hurricane Beryl, classified as a Category 5 storm, surged through open waters and made landfall in the southeast Caribbean. The hurricane is on a projected path that includes Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. So far, the storm has resulted in at least four fatalities.
A hurricane warning is currently in effect for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch has been issued for Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. Despite expectations for a decrease in intensity, Beryl is predicted to remain near major hurricane strength as it approaches Jamaica by Wednesday, the Cayman Islands by Thursday, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula by Friday.
Earlier, the storm caused significant damage in Grenada, where three people were killed, and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where one fatality was reported. Grenada experienced extensive destruction, particularly on the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique. Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell reported widespread damage to homes and infrastructure, including power outages and impassable roads due to debris.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves noted that approximately 90% of homes on Union Island were destroyed, with similar devastation expected on Myreau and Canouan.
The hurricane’s progression through the Caribbean Sea has led to emergency efforts to assess and respond to the damage. The National Hurricane Centre highlighted that Beryl is the earliest Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic, fueled by record warm waters, and currently possesses top winds of 165 mph, moving west-northwest.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged residents to take the storm seriously and prepare appropriately. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecasted an above-average hurricane season, with up to 25 named storms expected.
