Hurricane Beryl, currently a Category 3 Major Hurricane, is expected to impact Barbados with life-threatening winds and conditions. As of the latest update from the US National Hurricane Centre, Beryl was situated approximately 180 km south of Barbados with wind speeds of 195 kmph around 2 pm IST on July 1st. The hurricane is forecasted to strengthen further, potentially reaching Category 4 status with wind speeds of up to 215 kmph within the next 12 hours. However, Barbados is likely to move out of the hurricane's direct influence by that time, according to current projections.
The Indian cricket team, including T20 World Cup champions led by Rohit Sharma, found themselves stranded in Barbados due to the suspension of flights caused by Hurricane Beryl. Flights at Grantley Adams International Airport have been significantly disrupted, with numerous cancellations reported both in arrivals and departures on July 1st, as indicated by flight tracking data from Flightradar24.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for several other Caribbean islands, including Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadine Islands, anticipating hurricane-force winds, storm surges, heavy rainfall, and potential flooding in low-lying areas. This marks Hurricane Beryl as the first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and notably the first Category 4 hurricane to occur in June.