Major tourist resorts in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula are bracing themselves for Hurricane Beryl to strike after leaving a trail of devastation across the Caribbean.
A hurricane warning was announced overnight for the entire east coast of the Yucatan, including Cancun, Tulum, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen after Beryl swept west from Jamaica.
The US National Hurricane Center warned of hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and damaging waves hitting the Mexican coastal region.
The Foreign Office said in an updated travel alert: “Hurricane conditions are expected from the evening of July 4 along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula as a result of Hurricane Beryl.
“Flights, including from Cancun airport may be cancelled at short notice. Tulum airport will be closed until July 7 at 12:00 local time.
“Ferry services are suspended and are expected to resume on Saturday 6 July. Bus services are suspended until further notice.”
Many Caribbean hotels suffered damage with some forced to close temporarily for repairs to be carried out.
Among those was the Bequia Beach Hotel in St Vincent and the Grenadines, which has been forced to close until at least July 31.
A statement of Facebook said: “Unfortunately Bequia Beach Hotel has sustained damage to beachfront areas during Hurricane Beryl.
“Our fantastic team of staff continue to do al the can to ensure the wellbeing and safety of guests in-house with limited resources while many of their own homes were severely damaged.”
The latest Foreign Office travel advice for Jamaica said: “There are disruptions to services island-wide, including to airports. There is also a risk of flash flooding and land/mudslides.”
Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association president Nicola Madden-Greig said: “Jamaica was spared the worst of the hurricane and we have now returned to regular business operations.
She reported that airports in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios re-opened yesterday, while Norman Manley airport in Kingston will open today after minor repairs are completed.
“We have no reports of any guests being injured during the passage of the storm, and the majority of the hotels and the tourism industry in general have emerged unscathed,” Madden-Greig added.
The trade association leader was encouraged with the reports emanating from the Cayman Islands, which confirmed no major impact on the sector there.
“We are thankful to God for sparing us for the most part, and we are now resolved to getting our industry back on track, while serving communities, especially those in the Grenadines, who are in dire need at this time,” added Madden-Greig.
A Sandals Resorts spokesperson said: “Hurricane Beryl has now passed Jamaica and all guests and resort teams deserve tremendous praise for their preparations and efforts to stay safe.
“This morning (Thursday) the teams continue to focus on ensuring the ongoing safety of guests and resort operations, and are currently conducting their safety checks and assessments across the various resorts. We will be able to provide more updates when that process has been fully completed.”
At least three people were reportedly killed in Grenada when Beryl made landfall on Monday as the earliest category five storm ever recorded in the Atlantic hurricane season, signifying winds of at least 157 mph.
Other deaths were reported in St Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “As a result of the adverse weather conditions caused by Hurricane Beryl, we’re working closely with our local teams in the Caribbean to understand any impact to local airports infrastructure and minimise disruption to our services.
“We are contacting affected customers regarding their travel arrangements, including the option to rebook if they no longer wish to travel.”