Hurricane Beryl Leaves Trail of Destruction in Jamaica and Grenada, Claiming Lives and Buildings

On Wednesday, Jamaica experienced the full force of Hurricane Beryl, with damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and a surge of water causing widespread devastation. The Category 4 storm, which had already claimed at least one life on the island, passed just south of the coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. This disaster struck just days after the hurricane had wreaked havoc in the eastern Caribbean, resulting in the loss of at least seven lives.

Widespread Destruction Across the Caribbean

Prior to reaching Jamaica, Hurricane Beryl had left a path of destruction in the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada. The storm's landfall in these areas had catastrophic consequences, with virtually every building reduced to ruins. Hospitals and marinas were destroyed, and the landscape was left in shambles, with rooftops ripped off and trees snapped like matchsticks.

Rebuilding Efforts and Precautionary Measures

Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada emphasized the need to rebuild from the ground up in the aftermath of the devastating storm. Meanwhile, Jamaica took proactive measures by closing its airports and ordering the evacuation of low-lying and flood-prone areas in anticipation of the hurricane's impact. This was the strongest storm to approach the island in over a decade, with the last major hurricane passing within 70 miles of Jamaica occurring in 2007.