Hurricane “Beryl” has reached the Caribbean from the Atlantic with full force. On Tuesday morning, the US National Hurricane Center reports that Beryl has strengthened to a category 5 hurricane. It is expected that he will wreak havoc on several populated islands. Hundreds of thousands of people could be affected. The hurricane hit the island of Carriacou in Grenada at 5pm on Monday and is on its way into the Caribbean Sea. This satellite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken at 10:50 p.m. EDT shows Hurricane Beryl, center, as it moves over the Caribbean Monday, July 1, 2024. Hurricane Beryl has strengthened to Category 5 status as it crossed islands in the southeastern Caribbean Photo: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite image / AP Nyheitsbyrået AP reports that “Beryl” hit land with a wind force of up to 240 kilometers per hour. Already, several roofs and trees have been blown away. Reuters writes that power lines have been torn down. So far, no injuries have been reported. – There have been many reports of destruction and damage in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, says the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickson Mithell, according to CNN. He does not disregard the fact that several people may have been injured or killed in the hurricane. It has been 20 years since a strong hurricane last hit the southern Caribbean. That time several tens of people lost their lives in Grenada. Has steeled himself According to US authorities, “Beryl” is extremely dangerous. It threatens life and health, and can cause great destruction. People wade in the water after floods in Barbados. Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP/NTB A street is flooded in Barbados. Photo: Ricardo Mazalan / AP/NTB Waves and strong winds hit Barbados. Photo: Ricardo Mazalan / AP/NTB Residents nail wooden boards to a home on the island of Barbados. Photo: Ramon Espinosa / AP/NTB Many have hoarded water, food and other necessary items ahead of the hurricane. Photo: Nigel R Browne / Reuters/NTB The shops were busy the day before the hurricane was due to hit. Photo: Nigel R Browne / Reuters/NTB In Trinidad and Tobago, soldiers have been mobilized to assist. Photo: Jermaine Cruickshank/Trinidad Express / Reuters/NTB The National Hurricane Center put the hurricane at category 4, the second highest level. It is the first time a Category 4 hurricane has been registered so early in the season, writes the AFP news agency. On Tuesday morning, it has been upgraded to category 5. It is referred to as a tropical hurricane. Beryl is expected to hit the islands of Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Tobago and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Together, they have over 700,000 inhabitants. The local population on the Caribbean islands braced themselves for the hurricane to make landfall. Your browser does not support the embedding of external content Many have sought shelter in shelters or barricaded their homes. Photo shows busy shops where people stock up on food, water and other necessary items. The residents have done what they can to protect homes and other valuables. Many have nailed wooden boards to buildings in the hope of protecting them from vandalism. – Several will probably lose their lives Ingrid Marie Widvey from Karmøy has lived on the island of St. Thomas for the past ten years. She and her family have experienced several powerful hurricanes. Among other things, two category 5 hurricanes, including hurricane “Irma” in 2017. She fears that the consequences of “Beryl” could be catastrophic for the islands that are hit hardest. – Several will probably lose their lives. It has been 20 years since they last had a hurricane in the area. 40 people died then, says Widvey. Ingrid Marie Widvey (right) and daughter Sophia (13) on the island of St. Thomas. Photo: Privat She does not think that the islands that are hit the hardest are prepared for the consequences. Both because poverty is very widespread there, and because the country lacks a proper support system. – Down there, they don’t usually get hurricanes at all. They do not have drainage and other infrastructure to handle a hurricane of this strength, so they are not properly prepared, says Widvey. She says that the hurricanes are coming unusually early in the Caribbean this year. – In the ten years we have lived here, we have never had either storms or hurricanes in June. The hurricane season usually begins in August or September, and lasts until November, says Widvey. It has already been announced that there may be more storms and hurricanes in the near future. – It seems to be a long hurricane season, says Widvey. I think that the current will disappear. St. Thomas is further north than the islands that are hit hardest by “Beryl”. This is what St. Thomas looked like at 7pm on Monday. Photo: Ingrid Marie Widvey The Karmøy family will probably not be hit hard, but are prepared that the storm will have consequences for them as well. At the moment, six others from Karmøy are also visiting them. – There can be quite strong gusts of wind and a lot of precipitation, in addition to some lightning and thunderstorms. Our electricity will probably go out. He usually does that, says Widvey. When “Irma” hit St. Thomas in 2017, they also lost power. That time it took half an hour for him to return. – Fortunately, we have a generator and a satellite phone. There is no running water here, so you have to have electricity, says Widvey. She adds that many of the people who live on the islands that have been hit hard do not have generators. – It is important to remember that the people who live there are incredibly poor, says Widvey. Published 01.07.2024, at 20.33 Updated 02.07.2024, at 06.20
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