United States: Hurricane Beryl is set to hit the Caribbean on Monday as a Category 4 storm, breaking records. It poses serious risks to island communities with dangerous storm surges, strong winds, and flash floods.
Grenada, St. Vincent, or the Grenadines are most vulnerable to being hit by the hurricane’s centre starting early on Monday morning. As it makes its way through the Windward Islands on Monday and into the Caribbean early this week, Beryl is predicted to maintain her hurricane strength.
As the first-ever Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic Ocean and the first storm to ever be recorded in June, Beryl’s arrival heralds an unusually early – and probably disastrous – start to the hurricane season. With this hurricane, the region is expected to experience its strongest storm since Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Even as tropical storm-force winds were approaching on Sunday night, residents of the island were rushing to complete last-minute emergency preparations.
Local authorities are alerting the public to the possibility of disastrous effects, such as extensive power outages, home damage, and dangers to the safety of the populace.
As of Sunday night, Beryl was causing gusts of up to 130 mph and was located approximately 200 miles southeast of Barbados, as per the National Hurricane Center. Tropical storm-force winds and hurricane-force winds both radiate outward up to 115 miles from the center.
Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are all under a hurricane warning. The island’s most severe weather notice, a red-level warning, was also issued by Tobago’s meteorological office. Residents are advised to take precautions to save their lives and property, such as stockpiling food and medicine or fleeing if their homes are in danger.
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