Hurricane Beryl is predicted to move next towards Haiti and on Thursday evening local time to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Category 4 hurricane Beryl has caused the death of at least nine people across the Caribbean Sea, authorities say. It is feared that the number of victims will rise even more, as long as the communication links in different parts of the Caribbean Sea region, which was disciplined by storm winds and flood waters, are restored.
Beryl reached the southern coast of Jamaica on Wednesday afternoon local time. Hundreds of people have applied for storm shelter, authorities say. The storm has torn out trees and roof structures of buildings and destroyed farms.
The airports of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, and Montego Bay, popular with tourists, have been closed all day.
Electricity companies say that in Jamaica they are also preparing for large-scale power outages.
Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness thinks the worst is yet to come.
According to the US National Hurricane Center NHC, Hurricane Beryl is forecast to move next towards Haiti and on Thursday evening local time to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Sources: Reuters, AP