Mexico’s coast battered by Hurricane Beryl
Hurricane Beryl struck Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula following a destructive path through the Caribbean, resulting in at least 10 fatalities.
The storm made landfall as a category-two hurricane early Friday, bringing winds reaching 175km/h (108mph). It weakened to a tropical storm but is anticipated to regain strength over the Gulf of Mexico during the weekend.
Beryl caused heavy rainfall in popular tourist spots like Cancún and Tulum. While major damage was minimal, the strong winds caused power outages and toppled trees. Laura Velazquez, head of civil protection, assured that power would be fully restored by Sunday for affected areas.
Residents like Carolina Vazquez, dealing with power loss, spoke of their experiences at emergency relief centers set up by the Mexican army. Fernando Trevino, assessing the situation, noted that preparations appeared effective in mitigating more severe damage.
Before Beryl’s arrival, precautionary measures included school closures, boarding up of hotel windows, and the establishment of emergency shelters. Over 8,000 military personnel were deployed across the Yucatán Peninsula to assist in relief efforts.
Hundreds of tourists were evacuated from hotels, and more than 3,000 fled from Holbox Island off the coast, according to local authorities.
More than 300 flights were cancelled or delayed.
On Thursday, many homes and businesses were badly damaged in the Cayman Islands, particularly along the coastline, where entire neighbourhoods were inundated.
Hurricane Beryl battered Jamaica on Wednesday after causing huge devastation across other Caribbean nations.
Hurricanes frequently occur near the peninsula, with the official storm season running from June to late November.
The storm is projected to travel over the Gulf of Mexico, moving towards north-eastern Mexico and southern Texas by the end of the weekend.
By the time it makes landfall again on Sunday evening, the storm is expected to have strengthened back to a hurricane.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott told people near the state’s Gulf coast to “have an emergency plan to take care of yourself and your loved ones”.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned that the North Atlantic could get as many as seven major hurricanes this year – up from an average of three in a season.
