Hurricane makes landfall as Caribbean braces for days ahead
Hurricane Beryl has made landfall on Carriacou Island in Grenada, as reported by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Having regained strength in recent hours, the hurricane has prompted warnings of life-threatening winds and dangerous storm surges.
“Carriacou was flattened in half an hour,” stated Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
A hurricane warning is also in effect for Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago.
Earlier, airports and businesses closed down, and residents across the Caribbean were urged to seek shelter as the potentially devastating storm approached the region.
Dozens of flights were cancelled across the region as Beryl approached on Sunday night, with leaders urging the public to heed the warnings.
In a news briefing on Monday, Mr. Mitchell cautioned, “We are not yet out of the woods.” Grenada has also experienced several power outages, impacting communications and access to government updates.
Maximum sustained winds for the hurricane are near 150 mph (241 km/h), according to the NHC’s latest update, as the storm moves west.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Jamaica, indicating that the region is likely to experience hurricane conditions by Wednesday.
“It is not a joke,” said St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, reminding people of the devastation caused by past hurricanes in the Caribbean.
In a national address from his official residence, Mr. Gonsalves mentioned he was seeking shelter in his basement.
“The roof, certainly the old part of the roof, may not survive winds at 150 mph. I am making preparations to go downstairs,” he said.
The hurricane was upgraded to a category four on Monday after slightly weakening earlier.
The NHC stated that fluctuations in strength were likely to continue but warned that portions of the Windward Islands should prepare for “potentially catastrophic wind damage.”
It indicated that St Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as Grenada, were at the highest risk of damage.
Hurricane shelters opened at 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT) on Sunday.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned that the North Atlantic could get as many as seven major hurricanes this year – up from the average three in a season.
It said record high sea surface temperatures were partly to blame.
Meteorologists have also remarked on how quickly Beryl developed.
The storm strengthened from a tropical depression into a major hurricane – category three or above – in only 42 hours, hurricane expert Sam Lillo told Associated Press news agency.
Much of the region has heeded the warnings.
Shops have closed and people have stocked up on fuel and groceries.
Grenada issued a state of emergency and St Lucia imposed a “national shutdown”, ordering schools and businesses to remain closed.
