Rohit Sharma and his T20 World Cup-winning team are expected to remain in Barbados until at least Tuesday morning (Indian time) due to Hurricane Beryl. According to the US National Hurricane Center, as of 2 pm IST on July 1, Beryl was a Category 3 hurricane located approximately 180 km south of Barbados, with wind speeds of 195 kmph. The hurricane is forecasted to intensify to a Category 3 again, with wind speeds reaching 215 kmph within the next 12 hours. However, Barbados is likely to be out of its direct influence by that time.
The Indian cricket team, which recently secured a thrilling victory against South Africa at Kensington Oval, is currently stranded due to flight suspensions. Flight tracking site Flightradar24 reports that the Grantley Adams International Airport has canceled over 30 flight arrivals and at least 29 departures on July 1.
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In addition to Barbados, hurricane warnings have been issued for other Caribbean islands, including Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadine Islands. Beryl is expected to bring hurricane-force winds, dangerous storm surges, and heavy rainfall of 3 to 6 inches across Barbados and the Windward Islands, with potential flooding in low-lying areas.
Beryl is notable as the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and the earliest Category 4 hurricane to occur in June.