Hurricane Beryl claims at least three lives as it approches Jamaica
Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 hurricane that had earlier wreaked havoc in the southeast Caribbean, raged through open waters on Tuesday as it headed toward Jamaica. The storm has claimed at least six lives so far.
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Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Jamaica are under a hurricane warning. The National Hurricane Center predicts that even though Beryl is weakening, it will still be close to major hurricane strength when it makes landfall in Jamaica early on Wednesday, the Cayman Islands on Thursday, and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico on Friday. The east coast of Yucatan and the southern coast of Haiti are under a hurricane watch.
A tropical storm watch has also been issued by Belize, covering the area south of its Mexican border up to Belize City.
Hurricane Beryl Heads for Jamaica with Deadly Winds and Storm Surges
With gusts of 165 mph (270 kph) at its strongest on Monday, Beryl became the first storm in the Atlantic to strengthen into a Category 5 hurricane. Beryl was moving 250 miles (400 kilometres) east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, at a maximum wind speed of 145 mph (230 kph) and 22 mph (35 kph) in a west-northwest direction on Wednesday morning.
Hurricane surges and wind gusts that might be fatal are expected to hit Jamaica from Beryl. While preparing for an evacuation, residents should not panic, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan emphasised that Jamaica is directly in Beryl’s path, warning of potential storm surges of 6-9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 metres) and heavy rainfall, which could lead to flash floods and mudslides.
Rescue crews are assessing damage in southeastern islands, including Carriacou in Grenada. The storm has caused three fatalities in Grenada and Carriacou, one in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and two in northern Venezuela, with five people missing. Beryl has caused torrential rainfall that has affected about 25,000 people in Venezuela.
