Beryl was swiftly moving through the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, heading towards Texas with the likelihood of intensifying and becoming a hurricane once again as it approached the coast. The forecast indicated heavy rains, strong winds, and dangerous storm surge when it made landfall following its collision course with Texas on Sunday and into Monday.
A hurricane warning was issued for a significant segment of the coast, extending from Baffin Bay to Sargent, with additional storm surge warnings in effect, while other regions were under tropical storm warnings.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami highlighted the anticipated landfall of Beryl on the Texas coast by Monday, potentially as a Category 1 hurricane, as reported by senior hurricane specialist Jack Beven.
Beryl was positioned about 330 miles southeast of Corpus Christi on Saturday night, boasting top sustained winds of 60 mph while moving northwest at 13 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Having already caused devastation and 11 deaths in the Caribbean, Beryl moved on to Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, following which it weakened to a tropical storm while crossing the Yucatan Peninsula.
Authorities in Texas urged residents along the coast to brace for possible flooding, heavy rainfall, and high winds, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issuing a disaster declaration for 121 counties in anticipation of the storm’s impact.
Precautionary measures such as voluntary evacuations in flood-prone areas, restriction of beach camping, and advisories to tourists were implemented in various coastal cities to mitigate potential risks posed by the approaching storm.
Residents in Corpus Christi were advised to reinforce their homes by boarding up windows and using sandbags to prepare for possible flooding, as seen with the surge in demand for supplies like tarps, generators, and sandbags at local hardware stores.
In Refugio County, a mandatory evacuation order was issued for its 6,700 residents, emphasizing the gravity of the situation as Beryl continued its path towards Texas after leaving a trail of destruction in its wake through several Caribbean countries.
