Beryl arrives in Texas, leaving one dead

AAt least one person died after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 storm Monday morning.

Torrential rain and wind gusts measuring 70 mph starting at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday — although gusts were As high as 90 mph in Freeport and San Bernard earlier in the day caused downed trees and other damage. More than 2.5 million customers reported power outages in the southeast Texas area and residents are expected to remain without power until the wind dies down, acting Gov. Dan Patrick said. said on Mondayreminding people that crews could not secure cables in such strong gusts.

At least 11 other deaths were reported in the Caribbean, according to the Associated Press.

The National Hurricane Center warned of “life-threatening storm surge flooding” along from Port O’Conner, Texas, to Sabine Pass and Matagorda Bay and Galveston Bay in a Monday warning.

Beryl brought 6 to 8 inches of rain across southeast Texas from midnight through early Monday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Flash flooding is expected in other parts of Texas later today and local beaches will also experience moderate to major flooding, with water expected to reach some low-lying roads, the US reports. More than 120 Texas counties are under a disaster declaration while authorities urge people to stay off the roads. About 2,500 emergency personnel and 1,200 assets were mobilized across the state in anticipation of damage from the storm.

Heavy rain anywhere 3 to 5 inches it is also expected to affect southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri by Tuesday.

Beryl is now moving across East Texas, where it will weaken as it moves inland. Meteorologists predict the storm will spread for the Mississippi and Ohio valleys on Tuesday and Wednesday. The storm is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone by Tuesday.

Tornado warnings are also in effect across eastern Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Beryl was previously labeled a Category 5 hurricane that ripped through the Caribbean, destroying 95% of homes on the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Beryl later weakened to a Category 3 storm as it made landfall in Mexico, but still forced evacuations along coastal hotels near Tulum.

Experts called the storm “unprecedented” because it arrived so early in the hurricane season, signaling the effects of climate change on this extreme weather event.