Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula after causing devastation in Jamaica and the Caribbean and leaving 11 people dead. The storm weakened to a Category 2 with winds of 110 mph, heading towards the popular beach town of Tulum. “Life-threatening” conditions such as hurricane-force winds, storm surge, and heavy rainfall are expected. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico closed in response to the hurricane.
Southern Texas and the Gulf Coast are now bracing for Hurricane Beryl’s arrival this weekend. The National Weather Service warned of potential high risks of rip currents and flooding, advising residents to make preparedness plans. Flights in Cancun were canceled, and more than 1,170 temporary shelters were set up in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Beryl became the earliest Category 5 storm on record and caused widespread damage in the Caribbean. It passed through Grand Cayman and Jamaica, causing power outages, destruction of structures, and displacing hundreds into emergency shelters. The death toll rose to 11, with more expected as communications improved.
Mexico’s government established a prevention zone in the Yucatan coastline under hurricane warning, monitoring rivers and dams. A task force of response elements and vehicles was deployed, and President Lopez Obrador urged people to prioritize their lives over material possessions. The situation remains critical, with Texas and the Gulf Coast on alert.
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