The storm underwent rapid intensification and became a Category 4 hurricane as soon as its wind speeds reached 130 miles per hour.
Fishermen in Barbados on Wednesday 3 July were assessing the damage caused to their vessels after Hurricane Beryl swept through the southeast Caribbean.
Now a category 3 hurricane with wind speeds of up to 120mph (193km/h), Beryl has brought thunderstorms and gale forces winds to the Cayman Islands.
What had been the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, weakened to a Category 3 by early Thursday but remained a major hurricane.