After Category 4 storm Beryl killed at least seven people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean, its winds are hitting the US, with some Texas residents asked to evacuate voluntarily.
Cameron County, the southernmost county of Texas has been issued a voluntary evacuation order. Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X: "Directed TDEM to issue an advisory notice to Texas’ emergency management agencies as HurricaneBeryl approaches our state. Texas stands ready to deploy all available support to our coastal communities."
Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. issued the voluntary evacuation citing the heavy rain and advised anyone staying behind to "secure loose items" from the wind.
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“We are not requiring guests to evacuate, but want to make sure all precautionary measures are taken in case the storm's current track remains accurate,” Trevino said in the notice issued today.
Earlier today, The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Beryl’s eyewall was “brushing the south coast of Jamaica.” Wind-whipped rain pounded the island for hours as residents heeded authorities’ call to shelter until the storm had passed. Power was knocked out in much of the capital.
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness said on Wednesday afternoon that nearly 500 people were placed in shelters. By evening, he said that Jamaica has not seen the “worst of what could possibly happen.”
Late on Monday, Beryl escalated into the earliest Category 5 hurricane in Atlantic history, reaching peak winds of 165mph (270 kph) on Tuesday before downgrading to a still destructive Category 4. Early Wednesday, the storm was located approximately 185 miles (300 kilometers) east-southeast of Kingston, boasting maximum sustained winds of 145mph (230 kph) and moving west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph), according to the center.
A pair of honeymooners were left stranded in Jamaica as the Category 4 Hurricane Beryl barrels towards the Caribbean island.
The storm swept across islands in the southeast Caribbean causing at least seven deaths. American newlyweds Casey and Warner Haley had traveled to Montego Bay, Jamaica, but are now trapped in the country.
They had gone to Sangster International Airport (MBJ) at around 12pm Tuesday looking for a way home, but were told that every flight was booked and that the airport was shutting down until further notice. Posting on Facebook, concerned honeymooner Casey wrote: "Warner Haley and I are stuck in Jamaica after a wild trip to an airport that looks like a scene out of a doomsday movie! Thankfully our resort has plans in place and we are prepared and prayerful."
She added: "Please keep us and all others in its path in your prayers as Hurricane Beryl is scheduled to hit us tomorrow. I’ll update this post when we can, but it is likely we will lose internet/service."
Speaking to CNN, Casey explained they tried to get supplies from a grocery store but locals were in "were in a frenzy as well." They were forced to return to their resort.
Warner said: "So we just had to go back to the resort and buy all the supplies we could from the gift shop. We got chips, water, snicker bars and that’s about it. We’re keeping all the very valuable survival things next to our bags.”
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