Hurricane Beryl strengthens again on way to Mexico

Hurricane Beryl has again picked up force off Mexico's Yucatán peninsula before its anticipated landfall in the popular holiday destination, with wind speeds of 185 kilometres per hour.

After wreaking havoc across the Caribbean, the hurricane has reached category 3 of 5, the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) and the Mexican weather service said on Friday.

Beryl is expected to make landfall as a severe hurricane near the seaside resort of Tulum in the coming hours. Strong winds, heavy rainfall and dangerous storm surges are expected.

The hurricane had weakened to level 2 before the sudden strengthening. Mexican civil defence authorities previously assumed that it would only reach the coast with force 1.

According to official figures, more than 340,000 holidaymakers are staying in Tulum and Cancún further north.

The highest warning level applies to areas most at risk, according to local authorities. The governor of the state of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, called on the population and tourists to get to safety.

According to media reports, at least 10 people died as Beryl earlier crashed through Grenada and Venezuela, St Vincent and the Grenadines, also brushing Jamaica with the loss of one life.

Beryl was temporarily upgraded to a "potentially catastrophic" category 5 - the highest level - late on Monday, but lost some of its intensity before regaining force.