July 4th 2024.
The powerful Hurricane Beryl has caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Jamaica, Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines have all been severely impacted by the storm, with roofs ripped off, fishing boats tossed, and homes damaged or destroyed. With the storm now heading towards the Cayman Islands and Mexico's Caribbean coast, the death toll has risen to seven.
Beryl, which was the earliest storm to reach category 5 hurricane status in the Atlantic, has since weakened to a category 3 but is still considered a major hurricane. As it approaches the Cayman Islands, authorities are warning residents to prepare for its arrival. Meanwhile, Mexico's popular Caribbean coast is also bracing for impact, with shelters set up and coastal communities being evacuated. Even sea turtle eggs have been moved to safety in anticipation of the storm surge.
In tourist hotspots like Playa del Carmen and Tulum, visitors are enjoying their last night out before the storm hits. The Mexican Navy is patrolling these areas, warning tourists in both Spanish and English to prepare for the storm's arrival. Beryl's eye is currently about 50 kilometers southwest of Grand Cayman island and 620 kilometers east-southeast of Tulum. It has maximum sustained winds of 195km/h and is moving west-northwest at 20km/h.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami has forecasted that Beryl will weaken in the next day or two, but will likely remain a hurricane until it makes landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm is expected to hit a sparsely populated area of lagoons and mangroves south of Tulum in the early hours of Friday, possibly as a category 2 storm. It is then expected to cross the Yucatan Peninsula and gain strength over the warm Gulf of Mexico before making a second landfall near the Texas border.
Beryl has already demonstrated its destructive power in the southeastern Caribbean, with its eye wall brushing by Jamaica's southern coast and causing power outages and damage to homes. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged residents to stay safe and rely on faith to weather the storm. Meanwhile, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the director of the National Emergency Management Organization has reported that 95% of homes in Mayreau and Union Island have been damaged by Hurricane Beryl.
Tragically, the storm has also claimed several lives, with three deaths reported in Grenada and Carriacou, and one in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Three other fatalities have been reported in northern Venezuela, with four people still missing. In Grenada, a tree fell on a house, claiming one life. The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has promised to rebuild the affected islands.
As Beryl continues on its destructive path, residents and tourists alike are bracing for its impact. In Cancun, Donna McNaughton, a tourist from Scotland, is taking the approaching storm in stride. With her flight not scheduled to leave until Monday, she plans to follow her hotel's advice to wait out the storm. Despite the potential danger, she remains unfazed, stating that she is used to wind and rain in Scotland.
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