MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - As Hurricane Beryl, a devastating Category 5 storm, barrels through the Caribbean, evacuations and emergency aid efforts are in full swing.
At Miami International Airport, a flight from Jamaica is set to arrive Tuesday morning, likely carrying evacuees fleeing the hurricane’s path. The flight from Kingston is expected at 9:30 a.m., bringing in passengers who have managed to escape the destruction.
Hurricane Beryl has already wreaked havoc on islands like Barbados and Grenada, where strong winds and storm surges have caused significant damage.
On Monday, the storm’s ferocity was evident as it tore apart homes and flooded coastal communities, cutting off communication for many residents. Mark McDermoth, a resident of St. Lucia, described the urgency felt by those in the storm’s path.
“They’re shutting down the country,” he said. “So you better get out or you get struck. People are trying to stock up. The threat was in Barbados, which is 100 miles from St. Lucia, so it’s impending and people are feeling that this one is going to hit, so let’s go get prepared.”
Relief organizations are mobilizing to provide aid to the affected areas. Global Empowerment Mission, based in Miami, is actively collecting and packing items to send to the storm-ravaged islands.
“Out family necessity kits supports a family of two for up to a week,” said a worker.
Dignitaries from some of the hardest hit nations in the Caribbean discussed their immediately plans for those that have been impacted by Beryl.
“Until they can get there and make their assessment, they won’t be able to know what’s damaged, how much damage and what they’ll need to do,” said a dignitary.
The organization has released a list of needed supplies, including tarps, generators, canned and non-perishable foods, sleeping bags, work gloves, solar-powered lights, tents, industrial sponges, professional first-aid kits, and hygiene kits.
Donations can be dropped off at Global Empowerment Mission HQ: 1850 NW 84th Ave STE 100, Doral, FL 33126.
“So we’re calling on the community, in terms of volunteers, in terms of hurricane relief items, monetary support and to really rally around the West Indies at this time,” said Jamaican Consul General Oliver Mair.
While South Florida is not expected to be directly impacted by Hurricane Beryl, this serves as a stark reminder for residents to ensure their hurricane preparedness plans are in place.
Beryl is now the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic. Currently, its eye remains over open waters in the Caribbean Sea.
The storm is expected to impact Haiti and the Dominican Republic beginning Tuesday, and it could eventually reach Mexico. However, weather in Cancun remains calm for now, with the community preparing schools as shelters in anticipation.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.