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Such a strong Atlantic hurricane has never been recorded so early in the year – “Beryl” is just under the highest category. It is the first hurricane of the season, many more could follow.
St. George’s – The dangerously strong hurricane “Beryl” has caused severe damage in the southeast of the Caribbean. It made landfall on Monday morning (local time) as a Category 4 hurricane over the island of Carriacou, which belongs to Grenada, according to the US hurricane center NHC. “Beryl” is expected to approach Jamaica soon.
In the evening, sustained wind speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour were measured – the hurricane is therefore on the verge of the highest category 5. According to experts, never before has such a strong hurricane been measured in the Atlantic so early in the year. “Beryl” is the first hurricane of this year’s season.
Devastation with extensive damage to houses has been reported on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, said Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell in a briefing. Power has been cut off everywhere and communication between the islands is difficult. There was initially no information about possible victims.
In addition to Grenada, several other island nations in the Lesser Antilles experienced strong winds and heavy rain, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia. Images on social media show flooding, palm trees bending in the wind and debris from damaged homes. The NHC warned of extremely dangerous conditions with life-threatening winds and storm surges.
Cricket world champions from India are stuck
The hurricane caused numerous flights in the region to be cancelled. India’s men’s national cricket team is stuck in Barbados after winning the T20 World Cup on Saturday, Indian media reported.
“Beryl” is moving in a west-northwest direction. It is expected to remain an extremely dangerous, severe hurricane as it moves across the eastern Caribbean, according to the NHC. On Wednesday, the eye of the storm is expected to approach Jamaica. In a press conference, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called on the population to use the time to prepare themselves and stock up on water and canned food, among other things. On Thursday, “Beryl” is expected to reach the Mexican Yucatán Peninsula, where holiday resorts such as Cancún are located.
Historic hurricane
In less than 24 hours, it had developed from a tropical storm into a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday. “Beryl is now the earliest Category 4 Atlantic hurricane on record, surpassing Hurricane Dennis, which became a Category 4 hurricane on July 8, 2005,” wrote expert Michael Lowry on the X platform.
“Beryl” is the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June to November. The most active period is usually around September. A hurricane is defined as a wind speed of 119 kilometers per hour, the highest category – 5 – starts at 251 kilometers per hour.
Hurricane season may be stronger than usual this year
The US weather agency NOAA is expecting an above-average hurricane season in the Atlantic this year. The reasons include above-average water temperatures in the Atlantic and the expected onset of “La Niña”, a phase of cooler water in the Pacific.
Climate change is also a factor. Global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. dpa
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