As the sun sets on Mexico’s picturesque beaches, Hurricane Beryl has left a trail of destruction in its wake, making landfall as a category 2 storm in the country’s top tourist destinations. The storm’s core shifted over the Yucatán, with winds slowing to approximately 100mph as it reached the north-eastern region of Tulum, a region famous for its white-sand beaches, lush terrains, and Mayan ruins.
The National Hurricane Center predicted that the storm will move towards north-eastern Mexico and southern Texas towards the end of the weekend, prompting Texas officials to urge coastal residents to prepare for its impact. In anticipation of the storm’s arrival, officials in Quintana Roo, home to Cancún, have opened around 120 storm shelters and closed schools, advising residents to stay indoors and avoid leaving their homes.
As the storm makes its way across Mexico, residents are being urged to prioritize their safety above all else. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has echoed this sentiment, taking to social media to urge those in the storm’s path to seek shelter and prioritize their lives over material possessions.
The Mexican government has also issued a red alert, signaling a maximum hazard threat and advising residents to remain in their homes or seek refuge in storm shelters. Meanwhile, Governor Mara Lezama of Quintana Roo has posted a video on social media showing the strong winds and rain affecting the region, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid leaving their homes.
Effects of Hurricane BerylBefore making landfall in Mexico, Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc in the Caribbean, claiming at least 11 lives and causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Research by the ClimaMeter consortium has determined that the climate crisis played a significant role in intensifying the storm, with the study suggesting that the storm’s severity, rainfall, and wind speed saw an increase of 10-30% as a direct result of the climate emergency.
As the storm continues to make its way across Mexico, residents and tourists alike are taking precautions to ensure their safety. The storm has forced the evacuation of around 3,000 tourists from Isla Mujeres, an island near Cancún, and many residents, including fishermen, have sought shelter in anticipation of the storm’s impact. Meanwhile, the Mexican oil industry is bracing itself for the potential impact of the storm, with oil projects in US waters to the north potentially affected if the hurricane continues on its expected path.