Hurricane Beryl has made landfall in the U.S. state of Texas having strengthened into a category two hurricane, forcing residents in several coastal communities to evacuate.
Forecasters say the storm will bring destructive winds and up to 15in (38cm) of rain with warnings of storm surges in place for Corpus Christi and Galveston.
The state governor’s office has repeatedly urged residents not to underestimate the storm while oil ports have closed and flight schedules face disruption.
Beryl caused at least 10 deaths in the Caribbean before being downgraded to a tropical storm as it hit Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
More than a million Texans were placed under a hurricane warning ahead of the storm’s arrival.
The US National Hurricane Center reported wind speeds in the early hours of Monday morning of 70mph (110 km/h).
The authorities say that even though it may not be as strong as it was in the Caribbean, it could still cause widespread power outages and disruption in Texas, as far inland as the city of Houston.
