Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm, struck the southeastern Caribbean islands, causing widespread devastation and claiming at least one life. The region faces challenges in recovery as the hurricane season escalates with warnings of more storms to come.
Hurricane Beryl Devastates Southeastern Caribbean Islands
On July 1, 2024, Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm, made landfall on Carriacou island, north of Grenada, causing extensive damage. Fueled by record warm waters, it became the earliest Category 4 storm to form in the Atlantic. With winds reaching 150 mph, nearly a Category 5 hurricane, Beryl ripped off doors, windows, and roofs, and downed power lines across the southeastern Caribbean.
One fatality was reported on Bequia island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The storm caused widespread destruction from St. Lucia to Grenada, snapping trees, collapsing buildings, and causing extensive flooding. The Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, confirmed severe damage in Carriacou and committed to visiting the site for a full assessment.
In Barbados, 20 boats reportedly sank, and 40 homes were damaged. Authorities used drones for damage assessment. The storm, moving west-northwest at 21 mph, tracked towards Jamaica and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 1 storm by late Thursday. The National Hurricane Center warned of another storm potentially forming in the same region.
This hurricane season is predicted to be above average, with 17 to 25 named storms expected.
