Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm, swept past Jamaica late on Wednesday, bringing intense winds and heavy rainfall. The storm had previously caused significant damage and claimed at least seven lives in the southeastern Caribbean.
According to the US National Hurricane Center, Beryl’s eyewall was “brushing the south coast of Jamaica.” The island experienced hours of wind-driven rain as residents followed the authorities’ advice to seek shelter until the storm passed.Much of Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, experienced power outages.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that nearly 500 people had been moved to shelters by Wednesday afternoon. He acknowledged that Jamaica had not yet experienced the “worst of what could possibly happen,” stating, “We can do as much as we can do, as humanly possible, and we leave the rest in the hands of God.”
The government’s information service reported that several roadways in the country’s interior settlements were affected by fallen trees and utility poles, while some northern communities experienced power outages.
Prior to Beryl’s arrival in Kingston, residents had taken precautions such as boarding up windows, fishermen had pulled their boats out of the water, and workers had dismantled roadside advertising boards to protect them from the strong winds.