Hurricane Beryl heads for Jamaica after killing at least five

The powerful hurricane, which is rare so early in the season, had weakened but was still an ‘extremely dangerous’ category-4 storm.

A boat ended up in a tree after the passage of Hurricane Beryl in Oistins gardens, Christ Church, Barbados. Picture: AFP)

Hurricane Beryl churned towards Jamaica on Wednesday after killing at least five people and causing widespread destruction across the southeastern Caribbean, threatening deadly winds and storm surges as it approached.

The powerful hurricane, which is rare so early in the season, had weakened but was still an “extremely dangerous” category-4 storm, and is expected to pass “near or over” Jamaica on Wednesday.

Beryl is the first storm since US National Hurricane Centre records began to reach the category-4 level in June, and the earliest to reach category-5 in July.

“In Jamaica, you want to be in a safe place by nightfall and be prepared to shelter through Wednesday,” NHC director Michael Brennan said.

A hurricane warning was in place for the island nation, according to the NHC, which said rain and flash flooding were to be expected as well as life-threatening wind and storm surges.

Across Jamaica, emergency response preparations were under way, including shelters stocking up on provisions, people safeguarding their homes and boats being pulled from the water. “I urge all Jamaicans to stock up on food, batteries, candles and water. Secure critical documents and remove any trees or items that could endanger your property,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said on X.

Apart from Jamaica, hurricane warnings were also issued in the Cayman Islands, which Beryl is “expected to pass near or over” on Wednesday night or early Thursday, according to the NHC.

Beryl has already left a trail of death in its wake: at least three people were killed in Grenada where Beryl made landfall on Monday as well as one in St Vincent and the Grenadines and one in Venezuela, officials said. Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said the island of Carriacou, which was struck by the eye of the storm, has been all but cut off, with houses, telecommunications and fuel facilities there flattened: “We’ve had virtually no communication with Carriacou except briefly this morning by satellite phone.”

At least three people died in Grenada. One person died on the St Vincent and the Grenadines island of Bequia; in Venezuela’s state of Sucre, a man was swept away by a flooded river.

AFP