Hurricane Beryl left a trail of death and destruction across the Caribbean, and the King and his family sent their “deepest condolences” to those affected.
Damage caused by Hurricane Beryl in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (Orlando Barrier/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
The King expressed his and his family’s “deepest condolences” to the people of the Caribbean.
The powerful storm has battered islands in the southeastern Caribbean, causing at least seven deaths and damage so far in Grenada, Carriacou, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela. The storm was expected to pass just south of the Cayman Islands overnight, and by Thursday morning its center was located about 500 miles east-southeast of Tulum, Mexico.
In a message posted on the royal website, Prince Charles said: “I and my family are deeply saddened to learn of the terrible devastation caused across the Caribbean by Hurricane Beryl. Most importantly, my heartfelt condolences go to the friends and families of those who have lost their lives in such a brutal way.”
Workers salvage pieces of tin fence in Kingston, Jamaica (Getty Images)
“I have witnessed the extraordinary resilience and spirit of unity shown by people across the Caribbean in the face of such destruction – a spirit that has been called for so many times before, so I would like to extend a special thank you to the emergency services and volunteers who are assisting with rescue and recovery efforts.”
“Please know that during this most difficult time, our most special thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives, livelihoods and property have been utterly destroyed.”
Prince Charles and the princess are believed to be making a personal donation to Hurricane Beryl relief efforts. The King’s message comes after the Ministry of Defence announced that a Royal Navy warship would be heading to the Cayman Islands to help with relief efforts.
King Charles expressed his “deepest condolences” (PA Wire/PA Images)
The coastguard ship HMS Trent is due to arrive in the Cayman Islands this weekend, where crew members will be assisting areas affected by flooding and the storm, which the Ministry of Defence said was rated a Category 5 storm and could bring winds of more than 155 mph to the region.
The Trent left Puerto Rico on Wednesday with more than 50 sailors on board, along with bottled water, basic emergency supplies and other equipment. The Ministry of Defense said personnel included a team from the 700X Naval Air Squadron, which can provide “aerial reconnaissance” and assess the damage from the air to support the 24 members of the Royal Engineers Special Forces who are also on board.
HMS Trent will be based in the Cayman Islands (Ministry of Defence/Palestinian Authority)
The government department added that specialised emergency deployment teams have already been deployed to the Eastern Caribbean to provide consular assistance to affected British nationals.
