Category 4 hurricane hits the Caribbean

Hurricane ‘Beryl’ has been downgraded from a category five to a category four as it heads towards Jamaica, reports Reuters. Typically, the first hurricane of the season comes around August 11, but experts suggest that rapid development and an earlier occurrence may be linked to human-induced climate changes. At least six lives have been lost due to the hurricane according to CNN. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have already been struck by ‘Beryl,’ with Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell describing the situation as grim with almost complete destruction of homes and a power outage. Beryl intensified from winds of 56 km/h to 120 km/h in less than 24 hours. The hurricane is expected to bring up to 200 millimeters of rain, and potentially 310 millimeters locally, to the southern parts of Jamaica by Wednesday.