Hurricane Beryl roars toward Jamaica after killing at least 6 people in the southeast Caribbean

In Kingston, Jamaica, Hurricane Beryl was heading towards the island on Wednesday. Jamaicans were rushing to get ready for the storm, which had already caused destruction in the southeast Caribbean and resulted in the deaths of at least six people.

In Kingston, residents blocked up windows, fishermen removed their boats from the water before gathering around a table to play dominoes near a bay, and workers took down roadside advertising boards to keep them safe from the anticipated strong winds.

There is a warning for a hurricane in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. The hurricane, named Beryl, is expected to slightly weaken over the next day or two. However, it will still be a major hurricane when it approaches Jamaica on Wednesday, the Cayman Islands on Thursday, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Friday. This information comes from the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

There was a hurricane warning for the southern coast of Haiti and the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Belize issued a tropical storm alert for the area south of its border with Mexico all the way to Belize City.

On Monday night, Beryl became the first storm in the Atlantic to reach Category 5 hurricane status this season, with winds reaching 165 mph (270 kph) on Tuesday before dropping to Category 4. By Wednesday morning, the storm was located approximately 185 miles (300 kilometers) east-southeast of Kingston. It had sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) and was moving to the west-northwest at a speed of 20 mph (31 kph), according to the weather center.

Beryl was predicted to bring dangerous winds and storm surge to Jamaica, prompting officials to advise residents in areas prone to flooding to get ready for possible evacuation.

The Prime Minister of Jamaica urged all citizens to treat the hurricane as a significant danger during his public speech on Tuesday. He emphasized the importance of staying calm and not panicking.

In Miami, Michael Brennan, the Director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, stated that Jamaica seems to be right in the way of Beryl. He suggested that people should look for a secure location to take cover and remain there until Wednesday.

"We are very worried about Jamaica, as we anticipate a powerful hurricane to come close to or directly hit the island," he mentioned during an online discussion.

A big wave caused by a storm is expected to reach 6-9 feet above normal tide levels in Jamaica, along with a lot of rain.

A warning for a tropical storm was in effect for the entire southern coast of the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

As Beryl moved quickly through the Caribbean Sea, rescue teams in the southeastern islands scattered to assess how much destruction the hurricane caused on Carriacou, an island in Grenada.

Three individuals lost their lives in Grenada and Carriacou, with an additional fatality reported in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, according to officials. Another two deaths were confirmed in northern Venezuela, with five individuals still unaccounted for. Additionally, around 25,000 residents in that region experienced the impact of severe rainfall caused by Beryl.

In Grenada, there was a death when a tree crashed into a house, according to Environment Minister Kerryne James who spoke to The Associated Press. The worst damage was seen in Carriacou and Petit Martinique, where many homes and businesses were destroyed in Carriacou.

The leader of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, stated on Tuesday that there is no electricity, the roads are blocked, and the chances of the death toll increasing are very likely.

The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, has made a commitment to reconstruct the group of islands. He mentioned that nearly all of the houses on Union Island were ruined, and that he anticipates similar levels of destruction on the islands of Mayreau and Canouan.

The most recent powerful hurricane to impact the southeastern Caribbean was Hurricane Ivan two decades ago. It caused the deaths of many individuals in Grenada.

Grenada, also called the "spice island," is a major producer of nutmeg that is exported worldwide. Mitchell pointed out that most of the spices are cultivated in the northern section of the island, which was most affected by Hurricane Beryl.