Powerful Hurricane Beryl roars towards Jamaica

BBC:

Beryl – a category four storm with winds near 140mph (220km/h) – is expected to pass near or over the southern coast in the next few hours, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns.

It predicts “life-threatening winds and storm surge” in Jamaica as well as the Cayman Islands later.

At least seven people have been killed so far as the storm sweeps through the Caribbean.

A hurricane warning is in effect in Jamaica, where the authorities have imposed a curfew from 06:00 to 18:00 local time (11:00-23:00 GMT).

Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged people to “take this hurricane seriously”.

“If you live in a low-lying area, an area historically prone to flooding and landslide, or if you live on the banks of a river or a gully, I implore you to evacuate to a shelter or to safer ground,” he said.