Hurricane Beryl brings 'life-threatening winds and dangerous storm surge' to southeastern Caribbean

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Hurricane Beryl entered the southeastern Caribbean on Monday, bringing “life-threatening winds and dangerous storm surge” to the southern Windward Islands, which include Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands and Martinique. The extremely dangerous Category 4 storm made landfall on Grenada's Carriacou Island with 150-mph winds. "Residents in Grenada, the Grenadine Islands, and Carriacou Island should not leave their shelter as winds will rapidly increase within the eyewall of Beryl," the National Hurricane Center warned Monday afternoon. "Remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions and do not venture out in the eye of the storm." The storm could bring up to 10 inches in the Grenadines and as much as 6 inches across Barbados. Hurricane warnings were in effect for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadine Islands, Grenada and Tobago. A hurricane watch was issued in Jamaica. Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchel said there had been reports of "extensive storm surge," damage to buildings and loss of electricity in the country. "And there is the likelihood of even greater damage," Mitchell said, adding that there have been no reports of casualties or injuries. Beryl is the first Category 4 hurricane on record to form in June. The hurricane is also the earliest Category 4 or the Atlantic hurricane season, beating the previous record of Hurricane Dennis which formed July 8, 2005. Videos shared by UNICEF Eastern Caribbean show storm surge on Barbados' south coast and strong winds in Saint Lucia. The U.S. Embassy in Barbados reported power outages and flooding in some areas. Beryl had been gaining strength last week, intensifying from a tropical depression to a Category 3 hurricane in 42 hours. It became a Category 4 hurricane in 48 hours. According to ClimateCentral.org, hurricanes get stronger at a faster rate due to warm waters brought on by climate change. Beryl will continue moving westward, across the southeastern and central Caribbean Sea at least until Wednesday, the agency added. “Potentially catastrophic wind damage is expected where the core of Beryl moves,” it said. Hurricane Beryl approaches the West Indies in the early hours of Monday morning. NOAA Beryl became an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm as it approached the Islands early Sunday before leveling off slightly. While the winds had slightly decreased overnight, the center said, "the area of stronger winds has grown, so the hazards of the hurricane are likely to affect a larger area." In Barbados, officials began opening emergency shelters Sunday evening, ordering the closure of all businesses by 7 p.m. Its water authority also urged people to store potable water as water lines would be shut out of precaution. Thousands of people descended upon the Caribbean island to watch the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup final on the weekend. But the worsening weather meant many including the triumphant India team had not been able to leave. “Some of them have never gone through a storm before,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley said, according to the Associated Press. U.S. forecasters added said that while Beryl is expected to turn more westward, "it is too soon to discuss what could happen with Beryl if it makes it into the Gulf of Mexico." The hurricane is likely to be in the Caribbean Sea for the rest of the week before making landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 2 storm. It is expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it moves into the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.