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SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Hurricane Beryl emerged as a significant climate event, developing from a monitored tropical wave on June 25, 2024. The storm rapidly intensified, becoming the first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season and reaching unprecedented strength. By June 29, 2024, Beryl had attained Category 4 status, setting a record as the earliest Category 4 hurricane in history. The storm continued to strengthen, reaching Category 5 with maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h by July 1, 2024. This highlights the increasing severity and unpredictability of hurricanes in the Caribbean, exacerbated by rising sea temperatures.
Beryl's impact was devastating across multiple Caribbean nations. Barbados was spared a direct hit from the hurricane, as it shifted direction less than 72 hours before landfall. The outer bands of the hurricane, which was still at Category 3, produced rain, winds and storm surge that affected the whole coastal area. Although 55 homes suffered minor damages, the fishing industry was particularly hard hit, with over 200 vessels damaged or destroyed, together with fishing industry infrastructure, disrupting the livelihoods of the coastal communities.
On July 1, the hurricane made landfall in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as a Category 4 storm. In Grenada, more than 1,600 people were forced into shelters, with 98% of buildings on Carriacou and Petit Martinique islands suffering severe damage. The destruction extended to critical infrastructure, including healthcare facilities and the airport terminal, as well as electrical and water utilities. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines experienced similar devastation, with 90% of homes on Union Island damaged or destroyed, impacting essential services and leaving many residents without access to healthcare and other services.
Jamaica experienced widespread damage as Beryl once again intensified to Category 5, severely impacting infrastructure and agriculture. The hardest-hit areas included Clarendon and St. Elizabeth, with extensive damage reported in St. Thomas, Manchester, Westmoreland, and Hanover. The agricultural sector alone suffered losses estimated at USD 1 billion, severely affecting food security and local economies.