Hurricane Beryl hurtles towards Mexico after destroying 95% of homes on two Caribbean islands

Hurricane Beryl brought torrential rain, power cuts and wind gusts up to 150mph to Jamaica overnight, as Kris Jepson reports

Deadly Hurricane Beryl ripped off roofs in Jamaica and destroyed 95% of homes on islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines before rumbling past the Cayman Islands on Thursday, leaving a path of widespread destruction in its wake.

Officials have so far confirmed eight deaths as a result of Beryl, with one in Jamaica, three in Grenada and Carriacou, one in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and a further three in northern Venezuela.

What had been the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, weakened to a Category 3 by early Thursday but remained a major hurricane as it began to take aim at Mexico's Caribbean coast.

The popular destination evacuated some small outlying coastal communities and even moved sea turtle eggs off beaches threatened by storm surge, but in nightlife hotspots like Playa del Carmen and Tulum tourists still took one more night on the town.

In Playa del Carmen, most businesses were closed on Thursday and some were boarding up windows as tourists were jogging and some locals walked their dogs under sunny skies.

In Tulum, Mexico's Navy patrolled the streets telling tourists in Spanish and English to prepare for the storm's arrival. Everything was scheduled to shut down by midday.

Beryl brought winds of up to 130mph to Jamaica, damaging buildings and felling trees.

King Charles also sent his "heartfelt condolences" to those affected by the hurricane.

In a statement, he said: “My family and I have been profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean. Above all, we send our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of those who have so cruelly lost their lives

“I have seen the extraordinary spirit of resilience and solidarity that people across the Caribbean have shown in response to such destruction – a spirit which has been called upon too often – and so I also send my particular gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who are supporting the rescue and recovery efforts.

“At this most difficult of times, please know that our most special thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives, livelihoods and property have been so utterly devastated.”

A spokesperson for Jamaica's disaster preparedness agency told ITV News' US partner CNN that a woman died in the country's Hanover parish after a tree fell on her.

Jamaica's government said several communities to its north were left without power, while a number of roads were blocked in its interior settlements.

Beryl's arrival in the Caribbean marks the first strong hurricane to hit the region since Hurricane Ivan 20 years ago, which killed dozens of people in Grenada.

Beryl is forecast to arrive on Mexico's southeastern coast by Friday morning before crossing the Yucatan Peninsula, where it will regain some of its initial strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

It is then expected to make a second strike on Mexico's northeast coast, near its border with Texas.

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