At least 7 dead as hurricane Beryl storms through Caribbean en route for Mexico

Hurricane Beryl stormed through Jamaica overnight as a Category 4 storm, ripping roofs off buildings and causing significant damage as it left at least seven people dead in the southeast Caribbean.

Beryl has now been downgraded to a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 130 mph, down from its peak intensity of 165 mph on Tuesday. The National Hurricane Center said Beryl was moving away from the Cayman Islands Thursday morning as it continues to track toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where it is expected to make landfall by early Friday morning with storm surges of 4 to 6 feet.

National Hurricane Center

"Hurricane-force winds, dangerous storm surge, and heavy rainfall are expected over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize beginning tonight as Beryl approaches that area as a hurricane," the National Hurricane Center said in a statement. "Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings are now in effect for portions of that area."

Officials in Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the coast from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun ahead of the storm's anticipated arrival. Forecasters said there is still considerable uncertainty over Beryl's intensity and track in the coming days. Wind shear is expected to cause the major storm to weaken, but not all computerized forecast models agree on how much of a factor wind shear will be.

Beryl is the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and has drawn on the fuel of warm ocean waters to become the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record.