Britons told to avoid Caribbean holidays during Hurricane Beryl
British tourists have been urgently warned to avoid travelling to the Caribbean as Hurricane Beryl barrels towards the Cayman Islands and Mexico.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said that “no travel can be guaranteed safe,” with the powerful storm expected to hit on Thursday.
It warned its “ability to help British nationals may be limited (perhaps severely)” amid the chaos caused by the extreme weather.
“Every year, tropical cyclones cause considerable loss of life, do immense damage to property, and damage transport, electricity and communication infrastructure,” it added.
Beryl has already claimed the lives of at least 10 people, with fears mounting that the toll will rise as communication is restored in the flood-ravaged islands.
In Kingston, Jamaica, the roof of a restaurant was ripped away, while palm trees were battered at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay.
Other clips showed four dogs balanced precariously on floating debris as they were swept down a surging river.
The hurricane moved away from Jamaica on Thursday, heading towards Grand Cayman and Tulum, Mexico.
Beryl hit with top wind speeds of 130mph and was expected to unleash 4-6 inches of rain on the Cayman Islands.
The US National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening surf and rip currents in the area.
Earlier on Thursday, the Royal Navy announced that HMS Trent will deploy to the Cayman Islands to offer support.
The offshore patrol vessel is set to arrive in the Cayman Islands this weekend with a mission to provide vital assistance.
Crewed by over 50 sailors, it set sail from Puerto Rico on Wednesday loaded with bottled water, essential emergency supplies and critical equipment.
Beryl’s peak this week was the earliest Category 5 storm recorded in the Atlantic hurricane season on record.
A Category 5 hurricane brings winds of 157 mph or higher.
Richard Thompson, acting director general at Jamaica’s disaster agency, said nearly 1,000 people were in shelters by Wednesday evening.
Streets were turned into rivers, with videos on social media showing rapid waters sweeping away debris.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines was hit earlier this week, with Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister, saying that Union Island was “flattened” and it would take a “Herculean effort to rebuild”.
Experts have said that Beryl’s destructive power, coming so early in the hurricane season, underscores the consequences of a warmer Atlantic Ocean, which has been fuelled by climate change.
