2024-07-03 11:01:01
Hurricane Beryl has reached Category 5 strength in the Atlantic, making it the earliest hurricane this year to reach this intensity.
It is currently passing through the Caribbean after wreaking havoc on the Windward Islands, where it has caused at least one fatality.
This is the second time an Atlantic hurricane has reached Category 5 status in July, since Hurricane Emily did so on July 17, 2005, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. Beryl’s sustained winds have increased to about 160 mph (257 km/h), with even higher gusts, according to the NHC.
The NHC warns that Beryl could experience fluctuations in intensity over the next day or so, but is expected to maintain significant strength as it moves into the central Caribbean and approaches Jamaica on Wednesday.
The hurricane made landfall in Carriacou, Grenada, around 11:00 a.m. Miami time with winds of up to 150 mph (241 km/h), becoming the strongest hurricane recorded in the Grenadines since 1851, according to NOAA.
At a press conference, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell reported widespread destruction in Carriacou and Petite Martinique. “In just half an hour, Carriacou was devastated,” Mitchell said. While no casualties were immediately reported in Grenada, Mitchell warned that the situation could change due to the ferocity of the hurricane.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Hurricane Beryl caused at least one death and damaged hundreds of homes and buildings, according to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. Gonsalves said there could be more casualties and noted that Union Island, north of Grenada, was severely damaged, with 90 percent of homes severely damaged or destroyed.
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Cubans Around the World Editorial Team