Thousands of people across the Caribbean are bracing themselves for Hurricane Beryl’s landfall, including Emmy-award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is currently visiting her home country, Jamaica. Around midnight on Wednesday, the “Abbott Elementary” star shared a video update on X.
“From the looks of the sky, it looks like Beryl is gonna be here much sooner than the news keeps saying,” she says in the video. “Please stay inside…stay off the road in Kingston.”
Like many on the island, Ralph and her family have taken the necessary precautions, sheltering in place and bringing all their outdoor furniture indoors because, as she says, “those things like to take flight.”
This week, Hurricane Beryl, which, according to forecasters, started as a Category 5 storm, made landfall in Grenada, the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, Barbados and Tobago on Monday. After the storm caused significant damage to the southeast Caribbean, experts initially predicted it would weaken by Tuesday. Though it has now been categorized as a level 4, Hurricane Beryl continues to show signs of major hurricane strength, according to the National Hurricane Center, as it passes through Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Ralph is in Jamaica with her daughter, Ivy Coco Maurice and her son, Etienne Maurice. On Saturday, Etienne Maurice was scheduled to marry his longtime girlfriend, journalist Stephanie Wash, in Kingston.
“I’m so happy, I’m so inspired; I love it,” said the actress about her son’s engagement and wedding planning, as previously reported by theGrio. “They’re just at the beginning of it, so when they need help, they’ll ask me, and I will be there to give it.”
While it’s unclear whether or not the couple will move forward with the nuptials, the soon-to-be groom said that while he is “disappointed that some people aren’t going to make it to the wedding [because of the storm],” he is “leaving it in God’s hands,” per USA Today.
“I urge all Jamaicans to stock up on food, batteries, candles, and water. Secure your critical documents and remove any trees or items that could endanger your property,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness wrote on X. “Everyone, including those living alone, should take these necessary steps now. It’s better to be prepared than to regret not preparing.”
While Ralph later admitted to having some “hurricane nerves,” the star encouraged fans to pray for everyone in Jamaica.
“Pray for us as you pray for others,” she added on X.