Hurricane Beryl struck south-east Texas and Louisiana in the United States on Monday (July 8), killing at least 11 people and knocking out power for about three million.
Beryl was originally a category one hurricane when it hit the US but has since been reclassified as a tropical depression.
Officials spoke of devastating winds, up to 15 inches (38 centimetres) of rain, and “life-threatening” storm surges.
The roof of a 53-year-old man’s Harris County home collapsed due to winds that brought down power lines and toppled a tree on top of it.
A grandmother, 73, called Maria Loredo was reported dead in the same county, which includes sections of Houston, after a tree broke through the roof of her house.
Previously, Hurricane Beryl reportedly destroyed 90 per cent of homes on Union Island as it roared through the south-east Caribbean, killing at least six people, with Jamaica next in its path.
A police officer fights fierce winds from Hurricane Beryl as he searches for occupants of an overturned semi-trailer truck in Freeport, Texas, US, on July 8 (REUTERS)
The prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, said that most homes on Union Island were destroyed, and that “similar levels of devastation” were expected on the islands of Myreau and Canouan.
Several people were evacuated from Union Island via ferry and arrived in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday, July 2.
“We have never seen such a strong hurricane this early in the season,” the Independent quoted Colin McCarthy, an extreme weather scientist, as saying.
So, should you still travel to the area if you booked a holiday?
Here is what you need to know.
Is it safe to travel to the southern United States and the Caribbean?
Multiple airports and ports have been closed, so it’s best to contact your travel provider if you booked a trip to Texas, Louisiana, and the Caribbean.
The UK Foreign Office has said people should “follow and monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Center and follow the advice of local authorities including any evacuation orders”.
Condé Nast Traveller reported that airlines such as American Airlines, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic had allowed customers who have booked travel to some affected regions to reschedule their trip further into July.
Where is Hurricane Beryl now?
CNN has a storm tracker map showing exactly where the hurricane has hit and where it is expected to travel next here.
Early on Tuesday (July 8), the most recent data suggested the storm was rated at a category 3 and was in the southern US.
Source link : https://uk.news.yahoo.com/safe-travel-caribbean-hurricane-beryl-094908582.html
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Publish date : 2024-07-13 12:41:16
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