Barbados Storm "Beryl" approaches the US coast

The US state of Texas is preparing for the imminent arrival of storm "Beryl" - then again as a hurricane. In the Caribbean, the hurricane had reached the highest hurricane strength - category 5. Since then, "Beryl" weakened more and more and was downgraded to a tropical storm over Mexico. According to the US hurricane center NHC, the sustained wind speed is 95 kilometers per hour, but the storm is expected to become a hurricane again (at least 119 km/h) over the sea in the Gulf of Mexico in the course of today. The storm center is expected to make landfall on the coast of South Texas on Monday.

A hurricane warning is in effect for a section of the Gulf Coast that includes the major city of Corpus Christi. An evacuation was ordered in Refugio County, where around 7,000 people live. In several other Texas counties, residents have been called upon to voluntarily evacuate to safety. The acting governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, declared a state of emergency in 121 counties. Meteorologists are expecting heavy rain, flooding and flash floods. Tornadoes are also possible.

Damage in Mexico and devastation on Caribbean islands

In Mexico, "Beryl" hit the Yucatán Peninsula on Friday as a level 2 hurricane near the Caribbean resort of Tulum. It uprooted trees and knocked over road signs. Power was cut in large parts of the much-visited vacation region.

The storm had previously swept across several Caribbean islands, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. At least eleven people lost their lives, including three in Venezuela. On some islands in the south-east of the Caribbean, which belong to the states of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, more than 90 percent of houses were damaged or destroyed, according to the governments. According to the electricity provider JPS, more than 250,000 households in Jamaica were still without electricity on Saturday.

In the meantime, sustained wind speeds of up to 270 kilometers per hour were measured with "Beryl" - category 5 is reached from 252 kilometers per hour. Never before had such a strong storm been recorded so early in the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June and lasts six months. Warmer seawater as a result of climate change makes strong hurricanes more likely.

SDA