Hurricane Beryl left a trail of destruction in its wake as it barreled through the Caribbean, claiming at least two lives in Jamaica alone. The storm, initially a powerful category four, weakened to a category two as it moved towards the Yucatan Peninsula.
Reports of devastation emerged from various countries in the region, with Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela each reporting three deaths linked to the hurricane. Additionally, multiple people were reported missing.
Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management confirmed the tragic death of a 26-year-old woman, Kayon Sterling, who was struck by a falling tree limb during the storm. Another 26-year-old man in Kingston was swept away by floodwaters and is believed to have drowned.
In the aftermath of the hurricane, Jamaica faced widespread power outages, damaged roads, and disrupted communication networks. Agriculture and fishing sectors suffered major losses, and the National Water Commission implemented islandwide water restrictions to address supply issues in affected areas.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a curfew and urged caution against carbon monoxide poisoning from generator use. The region grappled with the early start of an active hurricane season, with Beryl being the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica since Hurricane Dean.
The destructive impact of Hurricane Beryl serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate change action and preparedness in the face of increasingly severe weather events.
