Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to strengthen as it moves towards the US state of Texas after causing at least 11 deaths across the Caribbean. The storm, which was downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is expected to regain hurricane strength as it travels over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Beryl rapidly grew into a Category 4 hurricane as it passed through the Caribbean, making it the fiercest storm recorded so early in the Atlantic hurricane season.
The storm is forecast to make landfall in Texas on Sunday night, potentially as a Category 1 hurricane. The National Hurricane Center has warned of storm surges, flash flooding, and life-threatening rip currents in northeastern Mexico and along the Texas coast. Property damage and power outages have already been reported in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a popular tourist destination.
The storm has already caused devastation in the Caribbean, with three people killed in Grenada, three in Venezuela, and two in Jamaica. The UN and humanitarian organizations have been called upon to assist in the recovery efforts in the affected countries. The warm waters of the North Atlantic, which have been attributed to human-caused climate change, are believed to be responsible for Beryl’s intensity.
Tourists have been evacuated from coastal areas in Mexico, and flights have been cancelled at Cancun airport as the storm approaches. The military has been deployed to provide aid and supplies to affected areas. As Beryl moves towards Texas, officials are urging residents to prepare for potentially dangerous conditions and heed evacuation orders if necessary.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com