Hurricane Beryl caused destruction in southern Jamaica, leaving power lines down, roofs off houses, and hundreds homeless. The storm, now a Category 3 with sustained winds of 120 mph, is heading towards the Cayman Islands and Mexico. Widespread damage is expected in the Caymans, with strong winds, storm surges, damaging waves, rainfall, and floods foreseen.
Communities in Mexico’s Caribbean coast were evacuated, and sea turtle eggs were moved to safety. Some areas were put on alert as the storm approached. In Jamaica, a hurricane warning was lifted but a flash flood warning remained due to heavy rainfall.
On a personal level, individuals like Amoy Wellington in Jamaica and honeymooners like Casey and Warner Haley found themselves impacted by the storm. The Haleys were unable to secure flights out of Jamaica and had to hunker down at their resort.
Beryl is predicted to reach Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 2 storm before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center warned of potential re-strengthening over the warm Gulf waters, with the system likely reaching the U.S. at or near hurricane strength.
The smaller Caribbean islands experienced significant devastation, with homes damaged or destroyed. The rebuilding process is expected to be challenging, with Union Island in St. Vincent requiring a “Herculean effort” according to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. With the storm potentially impacting coastal areas of Texas, beach conditions and rip currents could pose life-threatening risks over the holiday weekend.
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