The hurricane Beryl The hurricane hit the coasts of southern Mexico on Thursday night, becoming a category 2 cyclone, after strengthening as it advanced through the Caribbean. Mexican authorities expected the meteorological phenomenon to reach the country downgraded to category one, but the dangerous storm has surprised them and made landfall early Friday morning in northern Quintana Roo. It is expected to affect the states of the Yucatan Peninsula with torrential rains and strong gusts throughout Friday. The government of Quintana Roo, in the southeast of the country, has estimated that more than 150,000 people may be affected by the storm, while in neighboring Yucatan the authorities have set up more than 1,170 shelters to shelter those living in high-risk areas. The hurricane has already affected tourism in the area in the middle of the high season for summer vacations, with more than 280 flights cancelled at Cancun airport, one of the most important in the region. “It’s time to get to safety!” warned Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama on Thursday night, as she remained at the forefront of the emergency from Tulum, where she set up a command post to respond to the threat of the storm.
Authorities ordered the closure of tourist areas such as beaches and parks on Thursday afternoon, while Navy officers were sent to these areas to ensure that safety measures were followed. Dozens of people were taken to shelters on land from tourist enclaves such as Holbox and Isla Mujeres, which are very vulnerable due to the heavy rainfall. In Cancun, a major tourist center in the region, hotels on its coveted turquoise sea coast alerted their guests about the emergency and the safety measures they should take, which included staying in their facilities until authorities lifted the emergency alert.
Airport authorities reported that at least 284 flights were cancelled in Cancun on Thursday due to the arrival of the hurricane. Cancun is one of the main tourist enclaves in Mexico and its airport has connections with North and South America and important destinations in Europe. “Remember to check with your airline the status of your flight before leaving. Important: Airports do not serve as shelters,” warned Governor Lezama. The tourist city looked ghostly on Thursday night after the closure of businesses and the cancellation of public transport. Few cars were traveling on its streets lashed by strong winds. “The dangerous semicircle of the system is expected to move over the central and northern part of Quintana Roo, and the entire state of Yucatan, with effects of intense rains and very strong winds,” the National Meteorological System warned in a statement.
The governments of Quintana Roo and Yucatan declared a red alert on Thursday afternoon, for maximum danger, due to fear of the damage that the hurricane could cause. “We are entering the phase of maximum danger. Take shelter in a safe place, remain calm and rigorously follow the instructions of the authorities. Stay sheltered until civil protection reports that the danger is over,” requested Governor Lezama. The Governor of the State of Yucatan, Mauricio Vila, ordered that schools be established as temporary shelters in several areas of the state and suspended classes as a preventive measure. “Many schools have been set up very early as temporary shelters to receive those families who live in vulnerable places in the face of these contingencies,” he said. The Governor also reported that in the towns in the south and east of the State, which are expected to be the most affected by the rains caused by the hurricane, he ordered that economic activities be suspended until further notice. The governor has also suspended public transportation services since midnight, including in Merida, the capital. “Let us remember that the forecast for the trajectory and intensity of this phenomenon may vary from one moment to the next, so I ask that preventive measures be followed,” said Vila.
The hurricane Beryl It is the first hurricane of the season to form in the Atlantic. It reached Mexico after hitting Jamaica with fury and leaving at least nine dead in its path through the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center of the United States has warned that “the great hurricane” will generate winds with destructive force, storm surges and damaging waves as it passes through the Yucatan Peninsula. Due to these threats and the power of the meteor, the authorities of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche took preventive measures to avoid human losses. Dozens of families from coastal areas moved to shelters set up in these States, while the Army installed mobile kitchens to guarantee food for those seeking refuge from the storm. The hurricane has revived in the memory of the inhabitants of Cancun the horror suffered in 2005 by the scourge of Wilmawhich left a wave of death and destruction in this tourist city. The chilling experience of Cancun, which was devastated by Hurricane Otis last October, is also still alive. On Thursday night, hours before Beryl hit, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador asked the population to avoid risks and protect themselves from the storm. “It is advisable to move to higher areas, to shelters or houses of relatives and friends in other places. Let us not hesitate, material things can be recovered. The most important thing is life,” the president recommended.
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