Hurricane Beryl kills five, weakens as it heads for Jamaica, causing widespread destruction
- At least 3 people were killed in Grenada, one in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and one in Venezuela, officials said
Hurricane Beryl weakened slightly to a category 4 storm as it churned towards Jamaica on Tuesday, after killing at least five people and causing widespread destruction across the southeastern Caribbean.
The rare early-season powerful hurricane was expected to pass near Jamaica on Wednesday as a “near-major” storm, bringing life-threatening winds, storm surge, rain and flash flooding, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned.
A hurricane warning was in place for the island nation, according to the NHC.
In Jamaica, preparations were being made for landfall, with emergency shelters stocking up in Montego Bay and construction sites secured in Kingston, according to the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper.
“I urge all Jamaicans to stock up on food, batteries, candles, and water. Secure your critical documents and remove any trees or items that could endanger your property,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said on X, formerly Twitter.
Hurricane warnings were issued in the Cayman Islands, and public playgrounds were closed as a precaution in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, with the storm expected to pass south of the country on Tuesday.
But in other areas of the Caribbean, the damage was already done – at least three people were killed in Grenada, one in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and one in Venezuela, officials said.
