Hurricane Beryl slams Jamaica; Dacula woman's mother trapped in its warpath

DACULA, Ga. - As Hurricane Beryl crashes through the Caribbean, Jamaica is getting slammed. A Dacula woman told FOX 5 she was especially concerned because her mother is trapped in its warpath.

The now-Category 4 hurricane has already proven itself to be deadly in other parts of the Caribbean. Three people were killed in Cariacou in Grenada, one person was killed in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and two people were killed in northern Venezuela, according to local officials.

Hurricane Beryl is also a record breaker. Meteorologists are reporting it as the strongest storm to ever hit during the month of July.

"I am extremely nervous because I can't control it," said Chechey Williams.

Williams, who lives in Dacula, said she has had her eyes glued on Hurricane Beryl's path and destruction because she has a number of family members in Jamaica, including her mom who was spending the summer there.

"This is her first one," Williams explained. "She's afraid of hurricanes."

Williams said her mom stocked up on food and planned to ride out the storm at her second home in the Kingston area, but she has already lost her internet and power.

"I probably will freak out because I won't know if she's okay, how she is eating, you know? Do they even have coal? You know what I mean?" she said. "My mother's never experienced this."

Kingston will face the brunt of the storm. Water levels are rising six to nine feet above normal in some areas. Winds are ramping up to more than 130 mph. A friend of hers said he feared his roof would be ripped off.

This is just the beginning of the storm.

"As soon as the airports open up, and she's able to, I'm trying to get her out of there as fast as possible," Williams said. "I'm just praying, you know, for Jamaica, the people in Jamaica – my mom, my family – that this is not as bad as they're saying it could be."