A powerful Category 4 hurricane began moving through the eastern Caribbean islands on Monday, making a devastating landfall on the small island of Carriacou, north of Grenada, officials said.
In a briefing broadcast on social media, Grenada Prime Minister Deacon Michel said Carriacou had been “flattened” in just half an hour and government officials also expected “tremendous” damage on the neighboring island of Petite Martinique.
One person was killed when a tree fell on a house in St. George, the capital of Grenada. “This hits home,” Mr. Mitchell said. “The deceased person is in fact a relative of one of the persons who spent the last 36 hours with us at the National Emergency Operating Centre.”
The strength of Hurricane Beryl – the first of this year’s season – left a trail of destruction in its path as it made landfall: trees snapped in half, widespread storm surges and roofs blown off with winds reaching speeds of more than 150 mph.
There was no power on Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and communications were difficult, officials said.
Mr Michel said the full scale of the damage on Carriacou and Petite Martinique would not be clear until Tuesday morning, adding that he would travel safely to Carriacou.
“There was devastation all around,” the prime minister said. “So we expect that we will have to quickly assess the damage and transition into recovery and stabilization mode.”
Initial reports of damage also emerged in the capital as the storm passed over the main island. The roof of the police station was torn off and the hospital had to shift patients to a lower level as its roof sustained damage.
Beryl was an anomaly in what is already an unusually busy hurricane season, which stretches into late November. According to forecasters, it is the third major hurricane to hit the Atlantic Ocean in June – and the first time it has become a Category 4 so early in the season.
“Incredible just doesn’t cut it. This is really something like a hurricane,” Noah Bergen, meteorologist for Fox 35 Orlando in Florida, said. Said on X. “There will be a fast-moving storm, but only hell on earth for a few hours.”
The storm was also historic for the length of time it took to strengthen from a tropical depression to a major hurricane — 42 hours — which is a direct result of average sea surface temperatures. The feat was the only six-time fastest surge in Atlantic hurricane history.
Officials in Barbados said Monday that the island was spared the worst of Beryl.
Barbados’ prime minister, Mia Mottley, said in a nationwide broadcast from the island’s emergency operations center that up to 20 fishing boats, including two popular cruisers, were likely sunk. Still, she added, “This could have been worse for us.”
About 40 homes were reported to have sustained roof or structural damage so far, Ms. Motley said, adding that number was expected to rise as more than 400 residents returned home from shelters.
People in the eastern Caribbean began preparing for the storm over the weekend, including doing last-minute shopping for supplies.
“Storms are not something we take lightly at home as a family,” said Fleur Mathurin, who lives on St. Lucia, where parts of the island experienced power outages. “My family, my grandmothers, great-granddaughters, went through hurricanes Allen and Gilbert, this is something they always preach to us.”
As of Monday afternoon, the storm will continue to move through the Caribbean, reaching Jamaica with possible hurricane status by Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Julius Gittens contributed reporting from Christ Church, Barbados; Linda Strecker from Goywe, Grenada; Kingstown, St. Vincent to Canton X Chance; Sherphile Gaillard from Gros Islet, St. Lucia; and Maria Abi-Habib of Mexico City.