Rain and strong gusts of wind are starting to be felt in parts of Mexico’s Quintana Roo state as Hurricane Beryl approaches. The governor of Quintana Roo, Mara Lezama, reported on Thursday afternoon that about 100 flights have been canceled at the Cancun International Airport. Despite the cancellations, the airport remained open as of 2:00 p.m. However, operations were suspended at Tulum’s airport after at least nine flights were canceled.
Quintana Roo, a popular tourist destination in the Yucatán Peninsula, is currently under an orange level alert. This alert urges residents to evacuate at-risk zones and seek refuge in temporary shelters. Preventative evacuations have already been carried out in several municipalities, including Holbox, Punta Allen, and Mahahual, as announced by the state government.
According to the latest forecast, Hurricane Beryl is expected to make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Thursday night or early Friday between the municipalities of Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Governor Lezama issued a warning regarding the impending impact of the hurricane on the region.
After passing through Quintana Roo, Hurricane Beryl is projected to continue its path towards Yucatán state in the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula. National Coordinator for Civil Protection, Laura Velázquez, confirmed that schools have been suspended in both Quintana Roo and Yucatán states. Additionally, maritime activities have been halted in various municipalities, including Tulum, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and José María Morelos in Quintana Roo starting at 5 p.m. The suspension of maritime activities will also affect 24 municipalities in Yucatán from 7 p.m. onwards.
