by Linda Straker
- Forecasters have described Hurricane Beryl as dangerous
- Based on current trajectory, worst of hurricane will be felt in northern, eastern and portion of western side of the island
- Beryl occurs 20 years after Hurricane Ivan battered Grenada
Gerard Tamar, Head of the Grenada Meteorological Office, said that Hurricane Beryl will bring approximately 3 months’ worth of rain in 12 hours. “It is a system that we have to pay close attention to and one that we cannot take very lightly,” he said during a news conference on Saturday, 29 June.
Grenada is one of the islands in the path of Hurricane Beryl, which forecasters have described as dangerous. Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell urged Grenadians to “pray and prepare” for the potential impact that Beryl will have on the country when it passes over between Sunday night and Monday morning with winds of over 100 miles per hour.
The Prime Minister called on citizens to follow the recommendations and guidance provided by the National Disaster Management Agency (NadMA), the institution responsible for disaster management.
“This is not a drill; this is serious…We are urging all our citizens to heed the recommendations, to heed the directives that NaDMA will issue from time to time,” said the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister for National Security, the Minister for Disaster Management and Head of the National Emergency Advisory Council (NEAC).
“It is vitally important that we take the necessary safeguard to protect our properties, to safeguard our life and to ensure that Grenada can be resilient throughout this process. We will certainly ask you to pray and to prepare. Those are the 2 things that are within our control; we have no control of the path of the hurricane,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that based on the current trajectory, the hurricane, which is forecast to be a category 3 hurricane by the time it affects Grenada, will spare the southern part of the island while the worst will be felt in the northern, eastern, and portion of the western side of the island.
This hurricane occurs 20 years after Grenada was battered by Hurricane Ivan, which destroyed 90% of the country’s housing stock and devastated the economy.
God protect your Grenadians and Your lovely Spice Island! In Jesus powerful name ……..
Thinking of my friends in Grenada.
Stay safe!