Shoppers Clamor as Cayman Braces for Hurricane Beryl

Stuart Wilson

Residents and visitors in the Cayman Islands are bracing for Hurricane Beryl as the storm barrels toward the Islands, after making landfall on Carriacou, Grenada early Monday morning.

The storm, which is being fueled by record warm waters now holds the distinction of the earliest category 4 storm recorded in the Atlantic, taking just 42 hours for the storm to transform from a tropical depression to a major hurricane According to the National Hurricane Center, “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” with the storm continuing to strengthen.

At Press time on Monday the Cayman Islands were under a Hurricane alert with stores around the Islands being swamped with shoppers seeking supplies and scurrying to scoop up whatever goods they could in preparation for the possibility of the storm making landfall in the vicinity of the British Territory on Thursday. 

Cayman Islands Premier, the Honorable Juliana O’Connor-Connolly convened an emergency Caucus meeting on Sunday 30th June to address preparations for the possible arrival of Hurricane Beryl.

The meeting focused on coordinating efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of residents and visitors of the Cayman Islands in anticipation of the hurricane’s potential impact.

These included:

1. The latest updates from the Cayman Islands’ National Weather Service, which were reviewed to understand the potential risks and impact areas.

2. The Emergency Response Plan: Strategies for emergency response and resource allocation to ensure readiness.

3. Efforts to coordinate with local agencies and emergency services to streamline response efforts.

4. The Public Communication Plan: A comprehensive communication plan that was developed to provide timely advisories and instructions to the public.

5. Additional Preparations: Other urgent matters related to hurricane preparedness were addressed to enhance overall readiness.

Premier O’Connor-Conolly emphasized the importance of prompt and decisive action to safeguard the community, with all caucus members actively participating and bringing their concerns and recommendations to the planning and decision-making process.

As the storm pummelled Carriacou;  one of the islands of Grenada, winds increased up to 150mph (240km/h) on Monday.

Hurricane warnings were in effect for Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, Tobago, and St Vincent and the Grenadines as thousands of people hunkered down in homes and shelters hoping for the best.

20 years ago, Hurricane Ivan made landfall in Grenada, when it passed directly over the island on September 7, 2004 with winds of over 135 mph (217 km/h). The island, in the words of a Caribbean disaster official suffered “total devastation,” at that time, with at least 89% of the small island - or 28,000 of 31,000 homes - experiencing damage.

Residents in the Cayman Islands who were in Grand Cayman during 2004, will also remember the fury of Hurricane Ivan, which hit our shores as a Category 5 Hurricane, ripping up the Island’s shoreline and leaving rubble in its wake.

Caymanians, visitors and residents are hoping history will not repeat itself and have been watching the situation in the Caribbean Sea very closely.

Hurricane Beryl is the second named storm of this Hurricane Season, which is expected to be the busiest ever with an estimated 23 named storms.