Hurricane Beryl Strikes Texas: Coastal Towns Hit Hard

Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, made landfall in Texas, causing severe damage and power outages. The storm had previously affected Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. Acting Governor Dan Patrick declared disaster areas, and major airline flights were canceled. Oil ports and refineries faced disruptions.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall near the coastal town of Matagorda, Texas early Monday, bringing dangerous storm surges, strong winds, and heavy rain as it moved inland, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). Beryl, the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane, previously devastated Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, resulting in at least 11 deaths and significant structural damage.

The storm prompted the closure of major oil ports, led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and left thousands of homes and businesses in Texas without power. Beryl, having strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico, is projected to weaken as it moves further inland.

Acting Governor Dan Patrick declared 120 counties disaster areas and warned of the storm's deadly potential. Schools announced closures, over 1,300 flights were canceled, and there were evacuations in coastal towns. Data from PowerOutage.us indicated that around 300,000 Texas homes and businesses lost power.

Gary Short, a local resident, expressed concerns about flooding. "I'm more worried about the rain than anything," he stated while preparing for the storm. The closures of oil-shipping ports, including Corpus Christi, Galveston, and Houston, may disrupt crude oil exports and shipments. Some oil producers evacuated personnel from Gulf of Mexico offshore platforms ahead of Beryl's arrival.

(With inputs from agencies.)