Press
The strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded in July has devastated parts of the southeastern Caribbean. It is now moving towards Jamaica. It is just below the threshold for the highest hurricane category.
St. George’s – Jamaica is bracing itself for the severe hurricane “Beryl” that is expected to hit shortly. Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the hurricane’s remnants would reach the Caribbean state before dawn (local time). According to the US hurricane center NHC, “Beryl’s” center will pass over or close to Jamaica on Wednesday. Life-threatening winds and storm surges are expected.
![Hurricane in Barbados](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/982/34982358-hurrikan-auf-barbados-PXBG.jpg)
With sustained wind speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour, “Beryl” has recently weakened somewhat, but is now only just below the threshold for Category 5 – the strongest hurricane. It is moving in a west-northwest direction. It has caused devastation in the southeast of the Caribbean: a total of six deaths have now been reported in Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela. The number could rise.
Strongest Atlantic hurricane in July
“Beryl” developed from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in less than 24 hours over the weekend. It is the first hurricane of the Atlantic season that began in early June. Such a strong storm has never been recorded so early in the hurricane season, which lasts six months – according to expert Philip Klotzbach from Colorado State University, “Beryl” is the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded in July. In the meantime, the NHC measured wind speeds of around 270 kilometers per hour – 252 is Category 5. As a result of climate change, warmer sea water makes strong hurricanes more likely.
![Hurricane “Beryl” in Jamaica](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/982/34982359-hurrikan-beryl-in-jamaika-QrBG.jpg)
The storm center made landfall on Monday over the island of Carriacou, which belongs to Grenada. There and on several other islands in the area, “Beryl” caused severe damage, the extent of which is still unknown. Power outages and other storm damage make communication with the particularly affected areas difficult.
Relief measures and precautions
The Caribbean Community (Caricom) held an emergency meeting on the consequences of the storm. Several countries in the region pledged aid deliveries to Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In Venezuela, the Manzanares River burst its banks and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was hit by a falling tree during a visit.
According to forecasts, the storm will approach the Cayman Islands from Thursday night and the Mexican Yucatán peninsula the following evening. Final preparations have been made in Jamaica – emergency shelters have been set up and street drains have been cleaned to prevent flooding. The airports in Kingston and Montego Bay will be closed from tonight. In a speech in the evening, Holness called on the population to take precautions and pray for Jamaica. dpa
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