Hurricane Beryl Forces Closures and Evacuations in Texas

Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, struck Texas with powerful wind and rain, causing extensive disruptions. The storm led to the closure of oil ports, cancellation of flights, and widespread power outages. As it moved inland, Beryl continued to weaken, but severe impacts were still felt across multiple states.

Hurricane Beryl lashed Texas with strong winds and heavy rain on Monday as it churned inland, forcing the closure of oil ports, the cancellation of hundreds of flights and leaving thousands of homes and businesses in the state without power.

Beryl, the season's earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, made landfall near the coastal town of Matagorda in Texas early in the day, pounding the coast with dangerous storm surges and heavy rain, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The storm, which was expected to rapidly weaken as it moved inland, swept a destructive path through Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines last week, killing at least 11 people and toppling buildings and power lines. In Texas, the biggest U.S. oil and natural gas producing-state, the energy industry braced for Beryl's impact on Monday as disruption caused by the powerful storm slowed refining activity and prompted the evacuation of some production sites. "Life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall is ongoing across portions of Texas. Damaging winds ongoing along the coast, with strong winds moving inland," the NHC said, adding that Beryl was now expected to lose power.

(With inputs from agencies.)