Hurricane Beryl, a potent Category 5 storm, made a destructive impact in the southeast Caribbean Monday, resulting in at least four fatalities, according to reports.
The powerful storm is expected to threaten Jamaica Wednesday, bringing life-threatening winds and a potentially devastating storm surge.
“We urge residents in areas prone to flooding to prepare evacuation plans to ensure their safety,” emphasized local officials, as the storm barrelled towards the island.
Meanwhile, rescue crews worked to assess the scope of the destruction on Carriacou, a Grenadian island. National Hurricane Center social media updates warned of the storm’s intensification, describing the forecast as “extremely concerning”.
NOAA captured aerial footage of storm chasers venturing into the eye of Hurricane Beryl on Monday. The storm has left behind a trail of devastation, with collapsed buildings and debris littering the affected area.
As the second major storm this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Beryl follows Tropical Storm Alberto, which claimed four lives and ravaged northeast Mexico in earlier May. The storm’s formation aligns with NOAA’s definition of a hurricane – a tropical cyclone that forms over warm tropical or subtropical waters.
