Hurricane Beryl has traversed the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, leaving significant damage in its wake. Fort Worth residents Stae and Wallace Hall, who were on vacation there, described the intense conditions they faced.
“The rain was blowing sideways, and it was deafening,” said Stae Hall.
“Beryl knocked out power at our resort and caused trees to topple and flooding in certain areas,” added Wallace Hall. “They’ve closed off pathways due to the flooding.”
Now, Beryl is headed towards South Texas, potentially bringing similar impacts.
“Like everyone else, we’re closely monitoring the storm,” said John Hall, spokesperson for Texans on Mission, a disaster response organization.
The organization has mobilized volunteers from across Texas, including North Texas, who are on standby to deploy where needed.
“All our volunteers are ready to respond. We’re preparing our mass-feeding teams to provide up to 30,000 meals a day,” John Hall stated.
Chainsaw and Flood Recovery teams are also prepared as part of their response strategy, awaiting further updates on the storm’s path to determine deployment locations.
The Halls, meanwhile, are scheduled to fly back home on Sunday but are concerned about potential flight disruptions due to the storm.
“We might have to fly into the southern part of Texas if the storm affects our route,” Wallace Hall noted. “We haven’t heard from the airline yet, so we’re taking it day by day.”
Additionally, the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) has activated fire departments in North Texas to assist as needed. The North Richland Hills Fire Department has responded by preparing a Type 1 engine to join a strike team from the region.
