Residents of Jamaica are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Beryl, which has already wreaked havoc across the Caribbean, leaving at least six dead and causing widespread destruction. The category 4 storm, which passed just south of Jamaica, has resulted in power outages throughout the capital, Kingston, and has left communities grappling with severe flooding and damage.

Beryl made landfall earlier this week, hitting several islands in the southeast Caribbean with heavy rains and fierce winds. Eyewitness accounts from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines describe terrifying scenes as roofs were torn off homes and entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble. Nearly all residents of some small islands in the region have been left homeless, prompting many to seek refuge in the capital, Kingstown.

In Grenada, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell reported that communications were down and the island of Karakou experienced near-total destruction. Satellite imagery has revealed the extent of the devastation, with many public and private buildings completely destroyed.

Relief efforts are currently underway, coordinated by the United Nations and local governments, as the storm continues its path toward the Cayman Islands and is expected to reach Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula by Friday morning. Meteorologists have noted that Beryl's winds peaked at 165 miles per hour, marking it as the earliest category 5 storm in recorded history and the strongest hurricane to form in July.

Experts attribute the unprecedented strength of Beryl to climate change, with warmer ocean temperatures contributing to the storm's intensity. As the region begins to recover from this disaster, residents are preparing for what is anticipated to be one of the most active hurricane seasons on record.