The Caribbean is preparing for Hurricane Beryl, which is currently a Category 4 storm

Residents of several eastern Caribbean islands have been warned to prepare for heavy rainfall and strong winds as Hurricane Beryl, which strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday, approaches the region.

Both Barbados and Saint Lucia announced a nationwide lockdown at 20:30, and the Prime Minister of Grenada, Keith Mitchell, called on his citizens to pray.

The request was made after the Caribbean Community’s regional bloc, known as CARICOM, canceled an Israeli-Canadian meeting of the leaders of its 15 members scheduled for Wednesday, Friday.

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READ MORE: ‘Extremely dangerous’ Category 4 Hurricane Beryl heading towards the Caribbean

A hurricane warning is in effect for Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Tobago. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Martinique. Dominica and Trinidad are under a tropical storm warning.

The National Hurricane Center advises Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Lesser Antilles and the rest of the northwestern Caribbean to “closely monitor Beryl’s progress.”

Storm surges are expected to reach heights of 6 to 9 feet. Parts of the Grenadines are forecast to receive 10 inches of rain, while Barbados and the Leeward Islands are forecast to receive 3 to 6 inches of rain in each country.

The next full warning for Beryl, where wind speeds are around 130 mph (currently 2 p.m.), will be issued on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Beryl’s Impact on Saint Lucia and CARICOM

“The country will remain in lockdown and we ask that you stay at home until we declare ‘all clear,’” Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre said in an address to the nation. “Businesses and schools will remain closed on Monday and employers should cooperate.”

Millennium Heights Medical Complex in St. Lucia announced Sunday that all elective procedures would be suspended. In addition, to reduce patient volume, the medical facility discharged all stable patients from Owen King European Union Hospital, in accordance with the warning.

“We are asking the relatives and friends of these patients to make the necessary arrangements to collect the patients by noon today or no later than the hospital closing time, i.e. 8 p.m. (Sunday),” the statement said.

On Sunday, the 15-member Caribbean Community CARICOM announced it was postponing a leaders’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday to Friday in Grenada.

A new date has not yet been set, the regional body said.

“The Community’s primary focus at present is on the safety and security of its citizens,” CARICOM said. “Several Member States, including host country Grenada, are currently engaged in emergency preparedness and planning to address the aftermath of the hurricane.”

Barbados got out of the cone, but not out of trouble

Late Saturday, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley addressed Barbados on the hurricane’s passage. She urged her citizens to “remain absolutely vigilant and take every precaution possible for yourselves, our families and our neighbours.”

Mottley said that while Hurricane Beryl was predicted to move south of Barbados, “the truth is it could move north at any time and it could have a bigger impact on us at any time.”

To get her message across, Mottley cited several recent hurricanes that changed course and had deadly impacts on Caribbean nations.

“We know all this can change because it’s a small system, only 350 km wide,” she said. “Therefore, any change could have a significant impact on us.”

Beryl is approaching as the country hosts the Cricket World Cup, meaning this may be the first storm for some visitors.

Mottley said the airport could close at around 8pm on Sunday. All non-essential businesses in Barbados should close no later than 8.30pm on Sunday. No events should take place after that.

“The Met Office is very clear. Although they don’t expect these winds to arrive before 2am, they could arrive earlier,” she said.

“It’s going to be a long week. It’s not what we expected, but it’s what we have,” Mottley said.

Mottley noticed that there was another system behind Beryl.