Caribbean prepares as Hurricane Beryl becomes earliest

Caribbean prepares as Hurricane Beryl becomes earliest category 4 on record

‘Extremely dangerous’ storm approaches south-east Caribbean, where officials urge people to take shelter

Hurricane Beryl strengthened into what experts called an “extremely dangerous” category 4 storm as it approaches the south-east Caribbean, which began shutting down Sunday amid urgent pleas from government officials for people to take shelter.

Beryl had strengthened into a category 3 hurricane on Sunday morning, becoming the first major hurricane east of the Lesser Antilles on record for June, according to Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University hurricane researcher.