Hurricane Beryl pounded Jamaica with heavy rains and 200 km/h winds, knocking out power to much of the capital. Now churning toward Mexico, Beryl has already killed at least nine people and caused widespread destruction across the eastern Caribbean.

Kingston

Hurricane Beryl has struck Jamaica, bringing heavy rains and 200 km/h winds that have left the capital without power. The storm has caused widespread destruction, uprooting trees and damaging infrastructure. Beryl's strength and early arrival in the hurricane season have taken many by surprise.

The eastern Caribbean has already been severely impacted, with Union Island near Grenada experiencing damage or destruction to 90% of its houses. Meteorologists attribute Beryl's intensity to warmer Atlantic Ocean temperatures, suggesting that climate change may be a contributing factor. More hurricanes are expected in the Atlantic region in the coming months.

Hurricane Beryl is now moving toward Mexico with considerable force. At least nine people have lost their lives due to the storm, and the damage to agriculture and buildings is described as almost total.



Hurricane Beryl: Jamaica hit by powerful storm

With winds pushing more than 200 kilometers per hour, pounding rain and surging seas, Hurricane Beryl bore down on Jamaica. It has been very bad. I mean very, very bad. Hitting this eastern tip first off Nicole Shirley Phillips' porch. It's raining. We have gusts of rain. A lot of trees are down. A lot of banana trees are going to be down. Jamaica is used to hurricanes, but not like this. Beryl has come much earlier in the season. Its strength has grown much faster. When we realized that this was coming for us, it was like panic. Like, oh my goodness, it's been a while since we've had this happen. The storm has already left a trail of havoc and death in the eastern Caribbean, damaging or destroying 90% of the houses on Union Island near Grenada. To see this level of destruction, it is almost Armageddon-like. Almost total damage or destruction of all buildings. Complete devastation and destruction of agriculture. With the northern eyewall on land over southern portions of the island. As it hit Jamaica, even meteorologists from the U.S. Hurricane Center were surprised. So very dangerous conditions ongoing now in Jamaica and they are going to continue for the next several hours. Experts say Beryl's fury is fueled by warmer than normal temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean. Our region bears the brunt of the impacts of climate change. Indeed, many more hurricanes are expected in the Atlantic Instead of the usual seven per year, meteorologists say as many as 12 may follow in the coming months. Sasha Petrusik, CBC News, Toronto.

U.S. officials are warning that storm Beryl could regain strength and hit Texas as a category three hurricane. Beryl was downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting Mexico, leaving a trail of destruction and thousands without power.

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Hurricane Beryl

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Hurricane Beryl struck Union Island, part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, overnight, leaving nearly everyone homeless. Grenada also faces devastation and communication systems are down after Beryl made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Jamaica is preparing for Beryl's approach, with residents urged to evacuate vulnerable areas.

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