Texas prepares for Hurricane Beryl
Kyiv • UNN
Texas is preparing for Hurricane Beryl, a powerful storm bringing damaging winds, storm surges and heavy rain, causing evacuations and port closures as it approaches the coast.
The US state of Texas, according to the US National Hurricane Center, is preparing for the arrival of the storm Beryl, which has again grown into a hurricane, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
Forecasters say the storm could bring damaging winds, storm surges and rain of up to 25 cm when it makes landfall early Monday morning local time.
Some of the state's largest ports closed in preparation for the weather, and residents were warned of widespread power outages.
"Beryl caused at least 10 deaths in the Caribbean before being downgraded to a tropical storm when it made landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Before the hurricane hit, more than a million Texans were at risk from the storm.
It is expected to make landfall between the cities of Galveston and Corpus Christi and could reach Category 2, which means it could have wind speeds of up to 177 km/h.
Authorities say that while it may not be as strong as the one in the Caribbean, it could still cause massive power outages and disruptions in Texas, as far away as the city of Houston.
Michael Brennan, director of the US National Hurricane Center, warned those living in Beryl's path to find a safe place to spend the night on Monday "as hazardous conditions will persist even after Beryl's center passes.
"There is a very significant risk of flash flooding on the Texas Gulf Coast, in East Texas and the Arkansas-Texas region," he said.
"Don't ignore this very serious storm," acting Governor Dan Patrick urged.
The ports of Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport, and Texas City have closed, which means that exports may be temporarily halted.
All ship traffic and cargo operations were restricted.
Refugio County, north of Galveston, on Saturday announced a mandatory evacuation, citing limited emergency services, traffic on the July 4 holiday, and weakened infrastructure due to Hurricane Harvey in 2017 as reasons.
Meanwhile, Nueces County ordered the mandatory evacuation of visitors and urged locals to leave the city as well.
According to Patrick, more than 2,000 emergency personnel are ready to deal with the aftermath of Beryl, including members of the Texas National Guard.
According to the American weather service AccuWeather, hurricanes of this type that make landfall in July are quite rare in Texas.
Beryl is expected to move through the central states of America, including Mississippi, later this week.
"Beryl was an unprecedented storm. At one stage, it became the earliest ever recorded Category 5 hurricane.
It has already left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean region, hitting islands including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Mayreau and Union, and Grenada particularly hard.
The storm was also one of the strongest ever to hit Jamaica, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.
"Beryl brought heavy rain to the tourist centers of Cancun and Tulum in southern Mexico. No serious damage was reported, but strong winds toppled trees and caused power outages.
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Although it is difficult to attribute specific storms to climate change, as the causes are complex, exceptionally high sea surface temperatures are considered a key reason why Hurricane Beryl was so powerful, the publication points out.
This is the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, but the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned that up to seven major hurricanes could hit the North Atlantic this year, compared to three on average for the season.
