Canadians with Caribbean ties scramble to escape Hurricane Beryl [Video]

George Grant last checked on his mother Wednesday afternoon as Hurricane Beryl bore down on his native Jamaica. In the hilly centre of the island, she is far away from potential flooding but exposed to strong winds. Her shutters were down and her fridge stocked, Grant said, and at age 80, she exuded the calm of someone who has seen a lifetime of hurricanes. 

For now, Grant, honorary consul for Jamaica in Montreal, said the situation is “under control,” but as the hurricane rages, Canadians with Caribbean ties scrambled to get out of harm’s way.

The Category 4 storm has already killed at least six people and caused significant damage in the southeast Caribbean, and Grant said some Jamaican-Montrealers are now stuck on the island nation, unable to secure transport back to Canada with the storm grounding flights.

“I know that there are persons who were not able to get …