Hurricane Beryl caused significant damage to island communities in the eastern Caribbean on Monday and is expected to maintain its strength as it moves towards Jamaica.
Beryl’s winds reached 155 mph late on Monday, just two miles per hour short of Category 5 status.
“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” said the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane warning was issued for Jamaica on Monday evening, with hurricane conditions expected to impact the island by Wednesday.
A tropical storm warning was also in effect for the coast of Dominican Republic and parts of Haiti. Storm surge and rainfall are expected in the affected areas.
The eye of Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Grenada’s Carriacou Island, causing damage to roofs and utility systems.
No deaths or injuries have been reported so far.
Related story: Hurricane Beryl brings ‘devastation’ to Caribbean islands, cutting off power and communications
Hurricane Beryl is expected to weaken slightly as it moves through the central Caribbean but is likely to maintain hurricane status as it moves towards the Yucatán Peninsula and Mexico.
According to The Associated Press, the last strong hurricane to hit the southeastern Caribbean islands was Hurricane Ivan twenty years ago.
Beryl is the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and has become the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record.
Watch below: International Space Station flies over Hurricane Beryl
International Space Station flies over Hurricane Beryl
