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Texas coastal residents told to prepare as Beryl heads for Gulf of Mexico

Some Texas counties have already issued voluntary evacuation orders in low-lying areas.

A man unclogs a drain in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, in Tulum, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
A man unclogs a drain in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, in Tulum, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP) (Fernando Llano/AP)
By Martin Silva and John Meyers Jnr, Associated Press

Texas officials are urging coastal residents to prepare as Beryl moves toward the Gulf of Mexico after leaving a trail of destruction that has killed at least 11 people.

Some Texas counties have already issued voluntary evacuation orders in low-lying areas.

Along the Texas coast in Corpus Christi, city officials announced it had distributed 10,000 sand bags in less than two hours on Friday, exhausting its supply.

Soldiers ask a tourist to evacuate Mirador beach ahead of Hurricane Beryl’s expected arrival in Tulum, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP)
Soldiers ask a tourist to evacuate Mirador beach ahead of Hurricane Beryl’s expected arrival in Tulum, Mexico (Fernando Llano/AP) (Fernando Llano/AP)

“This is a determined storm, that is still strong,” Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick said.

Beryl roared ashore on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a hurricane near the resort town of Tulum early on Friday, whipping trees and knocking out power.

It hit Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane but weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across the peninsula.

The US National Hurricane Centre expects Beryl to regain hurricane strength once it re-emerges into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, where it is forecast to head toward northern Mexico near the Texas border.