Hurricane Beryl has weakened to a category four storm but is still expected to bring "life-threatening winds and storm surge" to Jamaica on Wednesday
Hurricane Beryl is expected to make landfall in Jamaica very soon. Ahead of its landfall, Jamaica has closed down its airports and issued a flash flood warning across the country. Meanwhile, due to the strong winds and torrential rains in the Caribbean, at least six people have died.
As per the latest update from the National Hurricane Centre, Hurricane Beryl has weakened to a category four storm but is still expected to bring "life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica on Wednesday and the Cayman Islands On Wednesday night and Thursday".
As Beryl moves across the Caribbean on Monday and Tuesday, a total of six people have lost their lives. Three were killed in Cariacou in Grenada as per officials.
Another death was reported from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and two people were killed in northern Venezuela due to the storm.
Beryl is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on Wednesday. Ahead of its landfall, the Jamaican government has announced plans to shut down three airports. The airports will remain closed through Wednesday and will be re-opened after storm like conditions are over and all assessments are complete.
As per the announcement made by the Jamaica Tourist Board, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay will close at 11:59 PM on Tuesday night.
Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston closed at 10 PM local time and the Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios was shut down at 7 PM.
Upon landfall in Jamaica, the hurricane, now a Category four storm, is expected to bring 4 to 8 inches of rainfall across the mountainous island country. Isolated rainfall is expected to go up to 12 inches, triggering flash flooding in vulnerable areas.
Along with this, a storm-surge of eight feet is expected and at least a foot of rain is expected to lash over Jamaica.
As per NHC, a hurricane warning has been issued for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman, Little Caymna and Cayman Brac). Meanwhile, Haiti and Dominican Republic have been put on a hurricane watch has Beryl continues to move westwards.