Hurricane Beryl surged towards Jamaica as a formidable Category 4 storm on Tuesday, following its devastating impact on smaller islands in the eastern Caribbean.
Scientists attribute the storm’s rapid intensification to human-induced climate change.
Destruction and Casualties
The unusually early hurricane has already caused widespread damage, toppling power lines and triggering flash floods. Tragically, at least three lives have been lost so far.
Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season and the earliest storm on record to achieve the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, struck St. Vincent and the Grenadines with particular force, as reported by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
Category 5 Intensity and Subsequent Weakening
Although Beryl reached Category 5 strength late on Monday, it slightly weakened by Tuesday. However, its impact remained significant.
“The hurricane has passed through, leaving behind immense destruction,” stated Prime Minister Gonsalves. He further reported that 90% of homes on Union Island, part of the Grenadines archipelago, suffered severe damage or were completely destroyed.
Confirmation of Fatalities
The prime minister confirmed one death and indicated that the number of fatalities could rise in the coming days as assessments continue.
In a video briefing on Tuesday, Grenada’s prime minister, Dickon Mitchell, emphasized that Carriacou and Petite Martinique, two of the country’s three islands, were hit hardest by the natural disaster.
“The situation is dire. There is no electricity, and homes and buildings have been almost completely destroyed,” he reported, highlighting impassable roads due to downed power lines and disrupted fuel supplies caused by destroyed fuel stations.
Additional Fatalities in Grenada
Mitchell confirmed at least two deaths attributed to Beryl’s impact so far in Grenada.
According to a Tuesday advisory from the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), the hurricane, boasting maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (249 kph), is currently situated approximately 485 miles (781 km) east-southeast of Kingston, the Jamaican capital.
The NHC predicts that the massive weather system is tracking towards the west-northwest at a speed of 22 mph (35 kph), raising concerns about its potential impact on Jamaica and other areas in its path.