Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 storm, struck the southeastern Caribbean on July 1, 2024, causing widespread destruction, including snapped trees, downed powerlines, and structural damage across multiple islands. The storm’s record-setting intensity and rapid development have marked it as a historic event in Atlantic hurricane history.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 4 storm on July 1, 2024, hitting the southeastern Caribbean, particularly affecting the island of Carriacou. This early-season storm was fueled by record warm waters and reached wind speeds of up to 150 mph, causing significant destruction.
Debris and wreckage were widespread, including snapped trees, downed powerlines, and structural damage across multiple islands from St. Lucia to Grenada. In some places, such as Grenada and Barbados, homes and buildings suffered heavy damage, and sea surges led to further complications, including hospital evacuations and destruction of infrastructure.
One casualty was reported in Bequia, with communication lines down in several areas. Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell planned to assess the damage in person once conditions permitted. Meanwhile, emergency relief efforts and damage assessments began immediately.
The storm is historic not only for its intensity but also for its rapid development from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in just 42 hours, a rare occurrence in Atlantic hurricane history. This highlights the unusually active hurricane season predicted by NOAA, which forecasts up to 25 named storms and 13 hurricanes for 2024.
As Beryl moved westward, it was forecasted to pass south of Jamaica and move toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula by late Thursday, potentially bringing further impacts.
