Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm with winds up to 220 km/h, continues its destructive path across the Caribbean and is now advancing towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula after causing widespread devastation in Jamaica. The death toll has risen to at least nine people across the Caribbean, including fatalities in Venezuela, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.Jamaica bore the brunt of Beryl’s fury, with over 400,000 people left without electricity. The storm caused significant damage to infrastructure, including the airport’s passenger terminal roof. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew, urging residents to evacuate low-lying areas prone to flooding and landslides.As Beryl approaches Mexico, authorities in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan are on high alert. The Mexican government has deployed hundreds of military and technical personnel, set up shelters, and closed schools in preparation for the storm’s arrival, expected on Thursday or Friday. Residents and tourists in Cancun have been advised to seek shelter, with some coastal communities being evacuated.The unprecedented intensity of Beryl so early in the hurricane season has reignited discussions about climate change. The storm broke records as the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane in July by US meteorological services. Scientists believe that climate change is increasing the likelihood of rapid intensification and the risk of more powerful hurricanes.As the region grapples with Beryl’s aftermath and braces for further impact, the storm is expected to cross the Yucatan Peninsula and potentially restrengthen over the Gulf of Mexico before making a second landfall near the Texas-Mexico border. The international community’s support will be crucial in helping these areas recover from what has been described as unprecedented destruction so early in the hurricane season.
Key points
- Hurricane Beryl, now a Category 4 storm, has caused at least nine deaths across the Caribbean.
- Over 400,000 people in Jamaica are without electricity due to the storm’s impact.
- Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is bracing for Beryl’s landfall, expected Thursday or Friday.
- The storm’s unprecedented early-season intensity is linked to climate change, according to scientists.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported death toll, with some sources citing seven deaths and others reporting nine.
👾The exact category of the hurricane varies slightly between sources, with some reporting it as high as Category 5 at times, while others consistently refer to it as Category 4.
