Hurricane Beryl: Texas in Turmoil

Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, hit Texas with strong winds and heavy rains, causing widespread power outages, flight cancellations, and the closure of oil ports. It made landfall near Matagorda, TX, weakened quickly, but left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean and Texas.

Hurricane Beryl lashed Texas with strong winds and heavy rain on Monday, forcing the closure of oil ports, the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and leaving nearly 2 million homes and businesses without power.

Beryl, the season's earliest Category 5 hurricane, made landfall near Matagorda, Texas, pounding the coast with storm surges and heavy rain, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).

After causing 11 deaths in the Caribbean, the storm swept through Texas, triggering flooding warnings and evacuations. The energy sector was severely impacted, slowing refining activity and prompting site evacuations. The storm is expected to weaken quickly as it moves inland.

(With inputs from agencies.)