Hurricane Beryl Flattens Carriacou: International Aid Efforts Underway

Hurricane Beryl has devastated the island of Carriacou in Grenada, leading to a significant international humanitarian response. The hurricane, the strongest June storm in Atlantic history, has affected the entire population. Aid from neighboring nations and the UN is underway despite severe logistical challenges.

The island of Carriacou in Grenada has been virtually flattened by the devastating Hurricane Beryl, according to a senior UN official. The hurricane, which is the strongest to form in June in the Atlantic Ocean, made landfall on July 1, affecting 100 percent of Carriacou's population.

UN Resident Coordinator Simon Springett, speaking via video link from Grenada, described the scene of total devastation. With winds reaching up to 240 km/h (150 mph), Beryl initially formed as a tropical depression but rapidly intensified into a Category 4 storm, briefly hitting Category 5 status.

The hurricane also made landfall in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and is expected to reach southern Texas, USA, on Monday. The crisis has complicated logistics and access, with roads impassable and communication only restored recently. Aid from nations including France, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago is on the way.

Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator for Jamaica and the Bahamas, emphasized international collaboration through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. He noted ongoing assessments and highlighted that rural Jamaica has been particularly affected. Other key needs include clean water and livelihood support.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is mobilizing supplies and funds for over 650,000 people, including 150,000 children, across the Caribbean affected by Hurricane Beryl, providing temporary shelters and life-saving supplies.

(With inputs from agencies.)