Hurricane Beryl wreaks havoc in Caribbean, intensifies into 'potentially catastrophic' storm | PICS

The 'extremely dangerous' Hurricane Beryl strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" category 5 storm as it progressed towards Jamaica after it made landfall in the Caribbean Islands on Monday.

The storm struck the Caribbean region as the earliest Category 4 storm, bringing down power lines and flooding streets in several countries including Barbados, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The US National Hurricane Centre said the hurricane is expected to bring life-threatening winds and a storm surge to Jamaica later this week, including rain as intense as 31 cm in some areas.

Beryl is expected to soak the island of Hispaniola on Tuesday in 2 inches to 6 inches (5 cm to 15 cm) of rain, as it moves west-northwest at nearly 22 mph (35 kph), the Miami-based hurricane center said.

Vehicles were seen driving through a flooded boardwalk in Bridgetown, Barbados. The St Vincent community of Prospect reported roofs ripped off buildings and power cuts in some areas.

Residents boarded up windows, stocked up on food and fuelled up cars on other islands in the eastern Caribbean as the storm approached.

Jamaica issued a hurricane warning on Monday, while tropical storm warnings were in effect for parts of the southern coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Officials in Mexico have also begun to prepare for Beryl's arrival.

Beryl jumped from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm in less than 10 hours, largely considered a result of climate change as global warming has increased North Atlantic temperatures.