“We have never seen such a strong hurricane this early in the season” – so says Colin McCarthy, an extreme weather scientist, about Hurricane Beryl.
The Category 5 hurricane is sweeping through the Caribbean and has already caused severe damage in some of the eastern islands: flattening buildings, cutting off power and water, and killing at least two people.
Hurricane Beryl is now heading for Jamaica. The US National Hurricane Center says: “A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Jamaica, where hurricane conditions are expected on Wednesday. A Tropical Storm Warning is also in effect for the south coast of Hispaniola, and a Hurricane Watch is now in effect for all of the Cayman Islands.
“Heavy rainfall and flash flooding are likely over much of Jamaica on Wednesday.
”Interests in Belize, the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, and the southwestern Gulf of Mexico should monitor the progress of Beryl.”
Some flights serving Kingston and Montego Bay airports in Jamaica on Wednesday have already been cancelled, and others are likely to be grounded.
In the US, President Biden and his team are closely monitoring the situation, with those in the region urged to follow the advice of local officials. The UK Foreign Office has said people should “follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Center and follow the advice of local authorities including any evacuation orders.”
This is happening at a time of year when many travellers are visiting the Caribbean. These are the key questions and answers.
What are the effects so far?
The worst damage appears to be in the small islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
A spokesperson for the Grenada Tourism Authority said: “The island of Grenada has thankfully largely escaped the effects of Hurricane Beryl, and the Maurice Bishop International Airport reopened this morning.
“The major airlines have already announced the return of their scheduled flights and hotels have also reported that they are fully operational.
“However, we’re deeply saddened by the widespread damage and news of fatalities on our sister islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. We are working closely with the emergency services to ensure support and relief efforts are in place as soon as possible, as well as the restoration of vital services.”
What is the outlook?
The…
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