Beryl makes landfall in Mexico, pummels Jamaica as death toll rises
Hurricane Beryl delivered a devastating blow to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as it charged across the Caribbean Sea before slamming into Mexico early Friday morning.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Mexico, on July 5. Brandon Clement captured the scene from the storm in the coastal town of Playa del Carmen, including flooding and downed trees and power lines.
Hurricane Beryl plowed into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Friday following its deadly trek across the Caribbean, and the storm is on a trajectory that will direct it toward Texas.
Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Mexico
Conditions deteriorated across the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday night as Beryl approached, making landfall around 6 a.m. CDT just northeast of Tulum, Mexico, as a Category 2 storm with winds up to 110 mph.
Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby was in Tulum and experienced landfall first-hand as Beryl roared ashore.
Storm chaser Aaron Rigsby reports live from the eyewall of Hurricane Beryl as it makes landfall in Tulum, Mexico, on July 5.
"Alot of the damage that I'm seeing today is alot of those big street signs that catch the wind really easy, I've seen a few [sic] power lines down, and we've observed alot of power flashes going on this morning, which is just those transformers exploding," Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby told AccuWeather in an interview on Friday morning.
"Alot of residents around here are without power, but alot of the building structures held up," Rigsby said. He added that there were a few builds that had minor roof damage, but nothing significant.
Vegetation covers a street during the pass of Hurricane Beryl in Tulum, Mexico, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Jamaica narrowly misses landfall, but still pelted by powerful winds
After blasting the Windward Islands at the start of the week and becoming the earliest Category 5 on record, Beryl swiped Jamaica on Wednesday.
The eye of the hurricane came within miles of the coast of Jamaica but never officially made landfall. That didn't stop wind-driven rain from pounding the island for hours, toppling trees and blocking roads across the island.
Early Thursday morning, the center of the storm passed just southwest of Grand Cayman Island.
At least eleven people have died due to Beryl, according to The Associated Press.
Meanwhile, the scope of the damage is coming into focus in the Windward Islands, which took the brunt of the storm's wrath when Beryl was near peak strength.
Beryl damaged around 95% of all homes in Mayreau and Union Island, according to the AP.
Storm Chaser Brandon Clement was in Carriacou as Beryl made landfall on Monday and described it as "the most intense hurricane" he had ever experienced.
Footage from the island showed the once-lush landscape appeared brown in the wake of the hurricane as winds ripped leaves and branches from scores of trees.
"Debris just filled the air," Clement said. "The sound of debris, it sounded like you would hear in a tornado.
Watch the video below to see Clement's full interview with AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
Storm chaser Brandon Clement describes the scene as Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Grenada’s Carriacou Island on July 1, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, marking an exceptionally early start to the Atlantic hurricane season.
