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ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada (AP) — Hurricane Beryl surged through open waters Tuesday as a formidable Category 4 storm heading towards Jamaica after previously crossing islands in the southeast Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of at least six people.
A hurricane alert was issued for Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. While Beryl was weakening, it was projected to maintain near major-hurricane strength as it approaches Jamaica early Wednesday, passes near the Cayman Islands on Thursday, and moves towards Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula by Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
A hurricane warning was issued for Haiti’s southern coastline and the east coast of the Yucatan. Belize issued a tropical storm alert extending south from its border with Mexico to Belize City.
In the late hours of Monday, Beryl became the earliest storm on record to escalate into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, reaching peak winds of 165 mph (270 kph) by Tuesday before subsiding to a still-potent Category 4. As of Tuesday night, the storm was approximately 360 miles (580 kilometers) east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. It sustained top winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 22 mph (35 kph), as reported by the center.
Beryl was anticipated to bring dangerous winds and storm surge to Jamaica, prompting officials to advise residents in flood-prone areas to get ready for potential evacuation.
"I urge all Jamaicans to treat this hurricane as a significant threat," Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated in a public announcement on Tuesday. "However, it's important not to panic."
Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, remarked that Jamaica seems to be directly in Beryl's trajectory.