Hurricane Beryl, a powerful category 4 storm, is rapidly approaching Jamaica with devastating force. This deadly storm has already taken the lives of at least seven people as it wreaks havoc across the eastern Caribbean islands.
Reuters reported that Hurricane Beryl has left a path of destruction in its wake, flattening homes and destroying agriculture on smaller islands. The Venezuelan President described the situation in Sucre state as dire, with three confirmed deaths and four people missing. Over 8,000 homes have been affected by torrential rains, and at least 400 have been destroyed.
The Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, painted a grim picture of the situation in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, likening it to “Armageddon.” Three fatalities have been confirmed in this region, with widespread damage to homes and infrastructure, making roads impassable and fuel stations in ruins.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) described the hurricane’s impact as “immense destruction,” with a staggering 90 percent of homes on Union Island severely damaged or destroyed. Tragically, one death has already been confirmed, and more are expected to follow.
Reports from Martinique show flooded streets and locals banding together to clear debris as Beryl continues its relentless path of destruction.
The US National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula in anticipation of Beryl’s arrival. Mexico’s defence ministry has sprung into action, opening 120 shelters and deploying nearly 4,900 troops to assist in emergency response efforts.
As of 5 am, Hurricane Beryl is positioned 300 km east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, with maximum sustained winds of 230 km per hour. The US Hurricane Center predicts that Beryl will bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica on Wednesday, followed by the Cayman Islands on Wednesday night and Thursday.
Residents of Kingston are urgently preparing for the impending storm, queuing up at gas stations, stocking up on essential supplies, and boarding up their homes and businesses. The looming threat of Hurricane Beryl has stirred the entire region into a state of high alert as they brace for the impact of this catastrophic storm.
