• Hurricane Beryl leaves Jamaican homes without power
• The Category four storm brought over 12 hours of heavy rain and strong winds
• Beryl is moving towards Mexico and the Cayman Islands
• The storm has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean and claiming at least 10 lives
• The UN has allocated $4 million to aid recovery efforts

Hurricane Beryl leaves Jamaican homes without power

Hurricane Beryl, one of the most powerful storms to ever hit Jamaica, has left hundreds of thousands of homes without power. The category four storm struck the island’s southern coast on Wednesday night, bringing over 12 hours of heavy rain and strong winds.

In the aftermath, officials and residents are assessing the damage as the island-wide curfew was lifted early Thursday. Now weakened to a category two storm, Beryl is moving towards Mexico and the Cayman Islands, leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean and claiming at least 10 lives.

The storm caused three deaths each in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Venezuela, with one fatality in Jamaica. Almost every home on the small islands of Mayreau and Union in St Vincent and the Grenadines was destroyed.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts that strong winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall will impact the Yucatan Peninsula by early Friday. The area is expected to receive between 10cm (4in) to 15cm (6in) of rain, with some places getting up to 10 inches.

In Kingston, while the winds were intense, they didn’t reach the expected hurricane gust levels. However, the prolonged heavy rain has caused significant flooding, especially on farmland.

Jamaican energy provider JPS reported that 65% of its customers, approximately 400,000 homes, were without power on Thursday morning. The MP for St Elizabeth South Western, Floyd Green, described the impact as “a most devastating blow,” noting significant property damage and widespread infrastructure issues.

The UN has allocated $4 million from its emergency response fund to aid recovery efforts in Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness thanked the first responders, essential services, security forces, and good Samaritans for their efforts during the crisis.

Hurricane Beryl became the earliest category-five Atlantic hurricane on record, likely due to warmer sea surface temperatures. The storm’s rapid intensification, from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just 42 hours, surprised meteorologists.

The moment that Hurricane BeryI hits Jamaica – video

#WATCH : Video of moment that the Hurricane BeryI hits Jamaica.#HurricaneBeryl #HurricaneSeason #Hurricane #Beryl #BerylHurricane #Jamaica pic.twitter.com/UlBPlchE8E

— upuknews (@upuknews1) July 4, 2024