Hurricane Beryl Hits Caribbean, Strengthens to Category 5 Storm

Photo : Reuters

Bridgetown, Barbados: In an unprecedented development, Hurricane Beryl intensified into a Category 5 storm late Monday after sweeping across several islands in the southeastern Caribbean. The storm has set a record as the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, characterized as "potentially catastrophic" by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), with maximum sustained winds reaching 160 miles per hour (260 kilometers per hour).

Earlier on Monday, Grenada's Carriacou Island experienced a direct hit from Beryl’s "extremely dangerous eyewall," with winds sustained at over 150 miles per hour. The NHC reported that nearby islands, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, were also subjected to "catastrophic winds and life-threatening storm surge."

Grenada's Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, described the devastation in Carriacou during a press conference, stating, "In half an hour, Carriacou was flattened." He noted that, while no fatalities had been confirmed, it was still uncertain if there had been any casualties. Video footage from St. George’s in Grenada, obtained by AFP, showed heavy rainfall and trees being battered by strong winds. 

On social media, Mitchell announced that the government was mobilizing relief supplies to Carriacou and the island of Petite Martinique. He advised residents to remain indoors, as the state of emergency was still in effect.

Beryl is an exceptionally rare and powerful storm for this early in the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from early June to late November. The hurricane became the first of the 2024 Atlantic season on Saturday and rapidly gained strength. Experts highlight that it is the earliest recorded storm to reach Category 4 in June and the first to reach Category 5 by July. Hurricane specialist Michael Lowry noted on social media that only five major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) have been recorded in the Atlantic before the first week of July.

Barbados, while spared the brunt of the storm, still faced high winds and heavy rains. Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, mentioned in an online video that the island "dodged a bullet," but advised caution as "gusts are still coming, the storm-force winds are still coming." Flooding impacted homes and businesses in some areas, and fishing boats were damaged in Bridgetown.

The storm's approach led to the closure of schools on Monday across several islands. Additionally, a scheduled meeting of the Caribbean regional bloc CARICOM in Grenada was postponed. Jamaica issued a hurricane warning in preparation for Beryl's expected arrival on Wednesday, with the NHC advising the Cayman Islands and parts of the Yucatan Peninsula to stay alert to the storm’s trajectory.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasted an "extraordinary" hurricane season this year, with up to seven storms of Category 3 or higher, attributing this to warmer Atlantic Ocean temperatures and the influence of La Nina conditions in the Pacific. The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including hurricanes, are attributed to climate change, posing significant challenges and risks for the affected regions.