Hurricane Beryl left a trail of destruction and at least 11 people dead across the Caribbean after hitting Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula near the resort town of Tulum as a Category 2 storm on Friday.
According to the US National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Beryl is expected to quickly downgrade to a tropical storm as it crosses the peninsula before potentially re-intensifying into a hurricane upon re-emerging into the Gulf of Mexico.
Beryl is projected to drift towards northern Mexico near the Texas border once it reaches the warmer Gulf waters. This could lead to renewed flooding in an area that Tropical Storm Alberto had already drenched just a few weeks prior.
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Throughout the past several days, Beryl has left destruction in her path across Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados.
The storm also made history by becoming the Atlantic's earliest documented Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday. Officials reported a tragic loss of life: three deaths in Grenada, another three in St Vincent and the Grenadine, three more in Venezuela, and two in Jamaica.
Subsequent to making landfall on Mexico on Friday, Beryl's peak winds diminished to roughly 100 mph (160 kph). However, Tulum remains under threat from "large and destructive waves," warned the hurricane center.
The local National Water Commission's forecasts foresee heavy rainfall and possible floods for the area in the imminent future.
Mexican officials evacuated some residents and tourists from vulnerable areas around the Yucatan Peninsula prior to the storm's arrival. However, many chose to brave the intense winds and impending storm surge.
Most of Tulum is only several yards above sea level and was thrown into complete darkness when the storm disrupted power supplies as it made landfall. The howling winds triggered car alarms throughout the city.
Harsh weather conditions, including wind and rain, ravaged the coastal city and nearby regions Friday morning.
As of Friday morning, there were no reports of injuries or fatalities, stated Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of Mexican Civil Protection. Yet, she confirmed that 40% of Tulum remained without power.
"Don't go out yet, wait until the hurricane completely passes," advised Velazquez during a video meeting on Friday morning.
Historically, Tulum was a tranquil, relaxed village. In recent times, however, exponential development has transformed it into a bustling destination now home to roughly 50,000 permanent residents and just as many daily tourists.
The popular resort even boasts its own international airport. Early on Friday, the eye of the storm was approximately 15 miles north-northwest from Tulum and traveling west-northwest at an estimated speed of 15 mph, according to information provided by the hurricane center.
As the storm loomed, officials scrambled to set up shelters in schools and hotels. The serene beaches of Tulum were disrupted Thursday as officials on ATVs with loudspeakers urged beachgoers to evacuate, while beachside hotels were closed and cleared out.
The hurricane had already wreaked havoc earlier in the week, devastating homes on islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, tossing fishing boats in Barbados, and tearing through Jamaica, leaving roofless buildings and widespread power outages in its wake.
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On Union Island, Captain Baga recounted his futile efforts to secure his property against the storm's fury, including his attempt to anchor two massive water tanks. "I strapped them down securely on six sides; and I watched the wind lift those tanks and take them away -- filled with water," he recounted in disbelief on Thursday.
"I'm a sailor and I never believed wind could do what I saw it do, if anyone (had) ever told me wind could do that, I would have told them they lie! ".
The aftermath on the island was a scene of destruction, with homes reduced to rubble as if they had been blown apart.
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