The US state of Texas is bracing for the arrival of storm Beryl, which has once again strengthened into a hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters say the storm could bring damaging winds, storm surge and up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain when it makes landfall early Monday local time.
Some of the state’s largest ports have closed in anticipation, while residents have been warned of widespread power outages.
Beryl caused at least 10 deaths in the Caribbean before being downgraded to a tropical storm when it hit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
More than a million Texans were placed under hurricane warnings ahead of the storm’s arrival.
It is expected to make landfall between the cities of Galveston and Corpus Christi and could reach Category 2 strength, meaning it could carry winds of up to 110 mph (177 km/h).
Authorities say that while the storm may not be as strong as in the Caribbean, it could still cause widespread power outages and disruptions in Texas, as far inland as the city of Houston.
U.S. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan warned people in Beryl’s path to find a safe place to take shelter until Monday, “as dangerous conditions will persist even after the center of Beryl passes.”
“There is a very significant risk of flash flooding on the Texas Gulf Coast in East Texas, ArkaTex [Arkansas-Texas] region.
“Do not ignore this very serious storm,” Acting Gov. Dan Patrick urged.
The ports of Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City have all been closed, meaning there could be a temporary halt to exports.
All ship movements and cargo operations have been restricted.
Refugio County, north of Galveston, issued a mandatory evacuation Saturday — citing limited emergency personnel capacity, July 4 holiday traffic and weakened infrastructure in the area from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 as reasons.
Nueces County, meanwhile, has ordered a mandatory evacuation of visitors and strongly encouraged residents to leave as well.
More than 2,000 emergency responders have been mobilized to deal with Beryl’s aftermath, Patrick said, including members of the Texas National Guard.
According to US forecaster AccuWeather, landfalling hurricanes of this type are quite rare in Texas in July.
Beryl is expected to move through the central US states, including Mississippi, later in the week.
Image source, International Organization for Migration/Reuters
Hurricane Beryl was an unprecedented storm. At one point, it became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record.
It has already left a devastating trail across the Caribbean, hitting islands including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Mayreau and Union, and Grenada particularly hard.
The storm was also one of the most powerful to ever hit Jamaica and left hundreds of thousands of people without power.
Beryl brought heavy rains to the tourist hotspots of Cancun and Tulum in southern Mexico. No major damage was reported, but strong winds downed trees and caused power outages.
Although it is difficult to attribute specific storms to climate change because the causes are complex, unusually high sea surface temperatures are considered a major reason why Hurricane Beryl was so powerful.
It is the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, but the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned that the North Atlantic could see up to seven major hurricanes this year, compared to an average of three per season.
