Hurricane Beryl caused catastrophic damage as it passed through Barbados and the Windward Islands on Monday, classified as a dangerous Category 4 storm.
Reports confirmed three fatalities in Grenada and Carriacou, where the hurricane initially made landfall. Another casualty was reported in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Associated Press stated that one of the deaths in Grenada was caused by a tree falling on a house.
The storm’s intense 150 mph winds devastated homes and structures on the Windward Islands, escalating to a Category 5, making it the earliest storm of this strength ever recorded in the Atlantic.
Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell addressed the grim situation in a news briefing, noting the complete destruction of buildings and homes, along with blocked roads due to debris, leading to access issues.
Preparations for more fatalities are being made, with Carriacou and Petit Martinique suffering the most damage from the storm’s fierce winds and storm surge.
Assessment and recovery efforts will be initiated by an emergency team comprising officials from Grenada and regional partners.
Barbados witnessed boats scattered in the aftermath, showing fishermen struggling to salvage their vessels from the water.
Ricardo Mazalan / AP
Hurricane Beryl is now targeting Jamaica with sustained winds reaching 160 mph as of Tuesday morning.
Jamaica is bracing for the storm’s impact to begin on Wednesday, with the Cayman Islands and parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic border under hurricane watch.
Although the storm is expected to weaken slightly as it moves towards Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, it is forecasted to maintain hurricane strength.
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