Londoners brace for news from family as Hurricane Beryl devastates the Caribbean

Londoners with roots to islands in the southeast Caribbean are scrambling to stay in touch with their loved ones back home as Hurricane Beryl wreaks havoc across the region. 

Hurricane Beryl ripped through Grenada, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia this week causing damage to buildings, downing power lines and killing livestock and at least six people.

The storm reached Jamaica's coast on Wednesday, leaving some London travellers stranded. 

Stevie Perrotte, who has family in Grenada and lives on Oneida Nation of the Thames, said his family is living without power and water with trees knocked down around their home. 

They are in dire need of humanitarian aid and basic necessities, Perrotte said. "Not getting the resources and stuff that they need – I think that's the biggest problem right now."

Hurricane Beryl is the earliest Category 5 storm ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean peaking at winds of 270 kilometres per hour on Tuesday before weakening to a still-destructive Category 4. 

Stocking up on supplies

With the hurricane roaring by Jamaica Wednesday, islanders are busy boarding their windows and stocking up on food and water.

"I've been checking my phone every second to see what news I can listen to, [to see] what is going on," said Londoner Andar Brown, who is keeping close watch on his parents and siblings living in St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica.

"My mother went shopping yesterday in case the place has to be locked down if all the roads get cut off," said Brown, "so they will still have food and water … to last them for a little while."

Stuck in Jamaica after flight cancellation

One London couple on their honeymoon has been stuck in Jamaica for three days after their flight was cancelled twice due to WestJet's mechanics strike and airport closures.

"We were supposed to go home on July 1, and then we got an email about the WestJet strike," said Jeff Cain. "We realized that the hurricane was coming in after that."

Cain and his new wife, Amanda Cain, have been paying out-of-pocket to prolong their stay at a couples' resort in Negril, Jamaica.

The staff at the resort have been boarding windows, cutting down trees that may be hazardous and moving tourists to the second floor, where there is less risk of flooding.

"We're going to see a hell of a storm through here," Jeff said.