Hurricane Beryl, which is “a few hours” away from making landfall in Barbados, has prompted alerts about potentially fatal winds and strong storm surges.
Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago are under a hurricane warning.
As Beryl approached on Sunday night, dozens of flights were canceled throughout the area, and authorities urged people to heed warnings.
“It is not a joke,” declared St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ prime minister Ralph Gonsalves, recalling the devastation caused by earlier hurricanes in the Caribbean.
Speaking to the nation from his official home, Mr. Gonsalves announced that he was taking refuge in his basement.
“The roof—certainly the older portion of it—might not be able to withstand winds of up to 150 mph (241 km/h). I’m getting ready to head downstairs,” he uttered.
Beryl has been erratic in her strength.
The storm was downgraded to category three when its winds considerably decreased, reaching a maximum sustained speed of about 120 mph (195 km/h) late on Sunday local time.
The NHC issued a warning that some areas of the Windward islands should brace for “potentially catastrophic wind damage” but acknowledging that strength variations were expected to persist.
It stated that Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were at the top.
