Hurricane Beryl to bring 'life-threatening' winds to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic
Ilaria Grasso MacolaHurricane Beryl is sweeping across the Caribbean towards Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, bringing with it potentially "life-threatening" 160mph-plus winds.
The category five storm made landfall in the easterly Windward Islands earlier this week and has so far largely spared Barbados, Saint Lucia and the main island of Grenada.
However, its smaller islands – Carriacou and Petite Martinique – are understood to have suffered significant storm damage. "Carriacou was flattened," said Grenada’s prime minister Dickon Mitchell, as reported by the Agence France-Presse news agency.
Hurricane Beryl is the earliest category five hurricane on record in the north Atlantic region and is due to reach Jamaica on Wednesday (3 July).
Update: Beryl heads for Jamaica after ravaging eastern Caribbean
According to the Jamaican meteorological service, winds of 165mph are forecast, as well as heavy rain.
"As the centre of Beryl moves closer to the island, expect heavy rainfall to begin affecting the island early on Wednesday,” Jamaican authorities said on Tuesday (2 July).
“This would be later accompanied by possible hurricane force winds across the island and dangerous storm surges and battering waves along coastal areas of mainly southern parishes.”
The Foreign Office (FCDO) has told holidaymakers in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to monitor national and international weather forecasts and follow any local authority advice.
In Grenada, Saint Lucia and Barbados, airline operations have resumed and hotels have started reopening.
"The major airlines have already announced the return of their scheduled flights and hotels have also reported that they are fully operational,” said a Grenada Tourism Authority spokesperson.
Grenada’s Blue Bay Resort is among the hotels that managed to weather the storm and is set to resume normal operations on Wednesday.
However, the Grenada spokesperson added: "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."
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority said its hotels had fared well and were accepting guests, while operations have resumed at the island’s two main airports. Its road network too has been deemed safe.
"While rare, weather events can happen," said the tourism authority. "Saint Lucia is a resilient island nation, and our top priority is to ensure that we return to normalcy in rapid time."
Visit Barbados added: “We are happy to advise commercial flights at Grantley Adams International airport will resume from 2 July 2024."
The FCDO issued new travel advice for the Dominican Republic on Tuesday afternoon (2 July), which read: "Hurricane Beryl is projected to track south of the Dominican Republic as early as Tuesday 2 July bringing with it heavy rain, strong winds and the risk of localised flooding.
"Follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Center’s regional map and follow the advice of local authorities."
Like advice has been issued for Haiti.
Its latest advice for Jamaica, dated Monday 1 July, said: "Weather projections forecast a major hurricane to hit Jamaica, possible as early as the morning of Wednesday 3 July."
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