Caribbean leaders are expressing shock and concern on social media following the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl. The hurricane made landfall on the tiny island of Grenada as a Category 4 storm on Monday, causing widespread destruction to the island’s electrical infrastructure, homes, agriculture, and natural environment. Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell described the damage on Carriacou, the second-largest island within Grenada, as “almost total destruction” of all buildings, complete devastation and destruction of agriculture, and complete destruction of the natural environment. The island’s mangroves, which are essential for maintaining coastal ecosystems, were also “totally destroyed.”
In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves shared a video on Instagram of widespread destruction throughout the islands, particularly on Union Island, where 90% of the houses were severely damaged or destroyed. One person died on the island of Bequia. The video showed Gonsalves surveying destroyed homes from a helicopter and flying over the islands of Mayreau, Canouan, and Palm Island, all of which appeared to have sustained significant infrastructural damage.
Climate change and the expected worse-than-average hurricane season this year could make recovery efforts more challenging for the affected islands. The World Meteorological Organization has warned that one landfalling hurricane can set back decades of development, and with Beryl potentially setting a dangerous precedent for the remaining months, such damage at the beginning of summer could be disastrous for islands that could face multiple major storms.
Despite the devastation, officials on the affected islands are holding onto hope for rebuilding. Grenada’s Prime Minister’s office posted on Facebook, “Because we have life, we have hope. We will rebuild stronger, together.”
