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Hurricane Beryl morphs into record-breaking Cat 5 storm as it barrels through the Caribbean

Alex Harris and Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on

Published in News & Features

“We’re getting lots of rain, massive wave action. A lot of houses have lost their roofs and the brunt hasn’t hit us yet,” Gonsalves said. “In Carriacou, they’ve lost a lot of roofs, and in Union Islands.”

Gonsalves said he has received reports of at least one death on Union Island, and there is damage to the fence at the international airport, which he said will be closed Tuesday to commercial flights, but will be receiving planes bringing in supplies.

“This is a difficult time..we are a resilient people,” Gonsalves said in a press conference Monday night. “Today has been a rough day. It has been a day of much devastation.”

“I want us to recover together,” he added

Wind gusts of 175 mph were registered for Carriacou and Petite Martinique in the southern Grenadines.

In preparations for the hurricane’s passage, several islands in the storm’s path shut down early on Sunday, which included ceasing all air travel. Ahead of the storm, Gonsalves declared a disaster area for the whole country, while Grenada’s government declared a state of emergency.

 

“It’s bad no question about it, a lot of homes are down, electricity is off. It’s bad, it’s bad,” Gonsalves said.

On Monday, at least five arrivals and six departures were canceled from Miami International Airport due to the storm. Any flight to or from Barbados, Trinidad, St. Vincent, Grenada and St. Lucia was also canceled.

In Grenada, which bore the brunt of the damage, officials were beginning to take stock of what appeared to be extensive damages.

“We have reports of extensive storm surge, we have reports of extensive loss of roofs and damage. There is no electricity and communication is also difficult,” Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said in a news briefing after the eye passed over the island of Carriacou around 11:10 a.m. Monday.

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