Hurricane "Beryl" is gaining strength again
Hurricane "Beryl" has regained strength on its way to the Mexican coast. The hurricane reached wind speeds of up to 110 miles per hour and was therefore re-classified as a Category 3 storm, the National Hurricane Center of the USA (NHC) announced on Friday. Weather conditions will soon deteriorate on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico's Caribbean Sea.
"Beryl" was only about 140 kilometers from Yucatan early on Friday morning (local time). In the resort towns of Cancun and Tulum, strong winds, dangerous storm surges, and destructive waves were expected in a short time, warned the NHC.
In Tulum, where the storm center was predicted to make landfall, hotels directly on the beaches were evacuated. Many tourists tried to leave the danger zone with buses. "We're going to Cancun," said British tourist Lili. "We want to be as close as possible to the airport."
Other tourists enjoyed a sunny day at the beach. "Our flight was canceled and we had to pay for two extra nights at the hotel," said Mexican woman Virginia Rebollar. "We're a little worried, but we're sure that the people here are prepared and know what to do." At Cancun airport, the second largest in Mexico, around 100 flights were canceled. Tulum airport suspended operations on Thursday.
Mexico's army reportedly sent about 8,000 soldiers to Tulum. They are supposed to distribute food and 34,000 liters of water to the population in case of emergency. In Cancun, many people had already emptied the supermarkets in the past few days. Hotels had boarded up their windows in advance. Schools were closed and emergency shelters were set up in the region, where tourists can also take refuge.
The hurricane, identified as Beryl, had significantly strengthened, posing a threat as a Category 3 storm to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The hurricane's path was projected to bring destructive winds, storm surges, and waves to popular resort towns like Cancun and Tulum. Despite the danger, some tourists like Lili decided to move closer to Cancun's airport, hoping for easier evacuation.
