Hurricane Beryl is approaching Mexico: Alert in Yucatan

Hurricane Beryl is approaching Mexico, although at Category 3, it is moving away from the Cayman Islands, while high winds, dangerous storm surges and damaging waves are expected off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

As Hurricane Beryl approaches Mexico, it is expected to make landfall early Friday, July 5, according to the 11:00 a.m. EDT bulletin from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Although it moved away from Jamaica, it left hurricane conditions before continuing its advance over the Cayman Islands early Thursday.

The devastating system, which has left at least 10 dead across the Caribbean, had maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour, and is 95 miles west-southwest of Grand Cayman Island and 330 miles east-southeast of Tulum, Mexico.

Hurricane Beryl is approaching Mexico and was moving west-northwest at 18 miles per hour over the Caribbean.

READ MORE: WHEN WILL HURRICANE BERYL REACH MEXICO?

Hurricane Beryl is approaching Mexico

The coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun.

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

• The coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula south of Puerto Costa Maya to Chetumal.
• The coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula north from Cancun to Progresso.
• A tropical storm warning is in effect for:
• The coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula south of Puerto Costa Maya to Chetumal, and north of Cancun to Cabo Catoche.
• The coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula north from Cancun to Campeche

After passing over the Cayman Islands early Thursday, it should be arriving in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula early Friday.

Hurricane Beryl’s passage through the Caribbean

The passage of Beryl through the Caribbean has already left at least 10 people dead, according to media reports, generating concern for the speed of its formation and for reaching the highest power that a cyclone can have (category 5) at such an early stage in the Atlantic hurricane season, something that is seen as an “alarming precedent”.

At least three people died on Tuesday in Grenada, adding to one death recorded on Monday in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, islands of the Eastern Caribbean.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan authorities reported three dead, five missing and more than 600 homes affected in the state of Sucre (northeast), due to the overflowing of the Manzanares river after the passage of hurricane Beryl.

Beryl became the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic. It formed on June 28 in the Atlantic and quickly gained strength as a Category 5.

Beryl is the second named storm in what is expected to be a very active hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic.