Beryl left devastation in its wake as it moved through the Caribbean. At least six people are said to have died in the Caribbean islands and in northern Venezuela.
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell states that the situation in the island state is grim.
– There is no electricity and there has been almost total destruction of homes and buildings on the island. The roads are not passable, in many cases because of the large amount of rubble lying over them, he says.
On the way to Jamaica
The hurricane, which on Tuesday was upgraded to category five on a five-point scale, has now again been graded as a four.
– This does not mean that it will be a relief, but it will still lead to big problems in Jamaica when it moves in, says SVT’s meteorologist Tora Tomasdottir.
On Wednesday, it is expected to hit Jamaica with life-threatening winds, and residents in flood-prone areas have been told to prepare to evacuate.
Record-breaking winds
The country’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness decided late on Tuesday evening local time on a nationwide curfew from Wednesday morning to Wednesday evening.
– It is to ensure the safety of everyone during the storm, says Holness in a video on Instagram.
July is usually a month of hurricanes, but in strength Beryl breaks all records so far.
– That it reaches such a high wind strength has not been measured since the measurements started in the 1950s, says Tora Tomasdottir.