Beryl is an unusually strong storm so early in the season that has been devastating to the southeastern Caribbean as it heads toward Jamaica. On Wednesday, forecasters expect the hurricane, which weakened to a Category 4 on Tuesday, to move in close proximity to or over Jamaica.
Through Tuesday night, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has placed Jamaica under a hurricane warning and has urged residents to be safely indoors by nightfall and stay put through Wednesday. Michael Brennan, director of NHC issued a life-threatening warning about wind, storm surge, rain and flash flooding. Jamaicans were advised by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to stock up on food supplies and important documents such as passports.
At least five lives have already been lost due to Beryl claiming three in Grenada one each in St Vincent and Venezuela. The prime minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell reported that Carriacou island was at this time almost completely cut off from the rest of the country having bore directly into its eye with lots of damage done to houses, telecommunications fuel facilities.
The presence of such powerful storms during early part of Atlantic hurricane season is uncommon, caused by ocean temperature influence on development intensity according experts. “Sets an alarming precedent for what is expected to be a very active hurricane season,” warned WMO World Meteorological Organization.
Simon Stiell UN climate chief who faced property destructions towards his family’s properties on Carriacou linked this crisis with climate change driving disasters beyond anything we have seen before. With still following a path leading it towards Jamaica and Cayman Islands; Haiti and Dominican Republic seas with Hurricane watches & tropical storm warnings region are preparing itself for their arrival having been issued.