Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula near Tulum early Friday as a Category 2 storm, causing strong winds and power outages. The storm had already caused destruction and claimed at least 11 lives across the Caribbean.
Forecasters from the U.S. National Hurricane Center predicted Beryl would weaken to a tropical storm as it moved across the peninsula, then strengthen again over the Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to head towards northern Mexico near the Texas border, an area recently affected by Tropical Storm Alberto.
Beryl had already caused damage in Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados. Earlier in the week, it became the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. Deaths have been reported in Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela, and Jamaica.
As it hit Mexico, Beryl’s maximum winds slowed to 100 mph (160 kph), but Tulum continued to face large waves and heavy rainfall, raising concerns about flooding. Mexican authorities had evacuated some residents and tourists from low-lying areas, but many chose to stay despite the risks.
The storm knocked out power in Tulum upon landfall, leaving the city in darkness with strong winds causing car alarms to go off. Rain and wind persisted into Friday morning, though no casualties had been reported by that time.
Approximately 40% of Tulum remained without electricity, according to Laura Velázquez from Mexican Civil Protection, who advised residents to stay indoors until the storm had fully passed.
