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| UK tourists braced for hurricane | UK tourists braced for hurricane |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British tourists in Mexico are braced for Hurricane Dean, which has already devastated parts of the Caribbean. | British tourists in Mexico are braced for Hurricane Dean, which has already devastated parts of the Caribbean. |
| The storm has intensified into the highest category, five, as it approaches the Mexican coast. | The storm has intensified into the highest category, five, as it approaches the Mexican coast. |
| The Cayman Islands were spared, but the Foreign Office is advising tourists in the Yucatan peninsula to leave while air and land links are still operating. | The Cayman Islands were spared, but the Foreign Office is advising tourists in the Yucatan peninsula to leave while air and land links are still operating. |
| Meanwhile, airports in Jamaica remain closed and electricity supplies turned off after the storm hit on Sunday. | Meanwhile, airports in Jamaica remain closed and electricity supplies turned off after the storm hit on Sunday. |
| Dean wreaked havoc in the eastern Caribbean, claiming at least six lives. There have been no reports so far of casualties in Jamaica. | Dean wreaked havoc in the eastern Caribbean, claiming at least six lives. There have been no reports so far of casualties in Jamaica. |
| View path of Hurricane Dean in more detailEnlarge Map | View path of Hurricane Dean in more detailEnlarge Map |
| The Federation of Tour Operators said about 3,000 British tourists had been evacuated from Cancun in recent days, ahead of the hurricane moving towards the Mexican coastal resort. | The Federation of Tour Operators said about 3,000 British tourists had been evacuated from Cancun in recent days, ahead of the hurricane moving towards the Mexican coastal resort. |
| Extra flights were laid on to help transport tourists out, and the 5,500 UK holidaymakers still in the area are being advised to leave. | Extra flights were laid on to help transport tourists out, and the 5,500 UK holidaymakers still in the area are being advised to leave. |
| Hotels are being boarded up and makeshift shelters set up. | Hotels are being boarded up and makeshift shelters set up. |
| Jane Chatwin, 42, who is on holiday in Jamaica with her partner Mark Newton and four children, was relieved that their hotel was untouched. | Jane Chatwin, 42, who is on holiday in Jamaica with her partner Mark Newton and four children, was relieved that their hotel was untouched. |
| Stranded | Stranded |
| She said: "There were 250 of us all in one big hall. It was a bit like the Blitz, not knowing what was going on outside. | She said: "There were 250 of us all in one big hall. It was a bit like the Blitz, not knowing what was going on outside. |
| "We weren't allowed to drink anything, which was a shame - with a few more drinks it would have been more of a party atmosphere." | "We weren't allowed to drink anything, which was a shame - with a few more drinks it would have been more of a party atmosphere." |
| FOREIGN OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE Cayman Islands: All travel advised againstJamaica: All travel advised againstMexico: All but essential travel to the Yucatan peninsula advised againstBelize: All but essential travel to the coastal area advised against Shutters up on Caymans | FOREIGN OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE Cayman Islands: All travel advised againstJamaica: All travel advised againstMexico: All but essential travel to the Yucatan peninsula advised againstBelize: All but essential travel to the coastal area advised against Shutters up on Caymans |
| Tom Wilkinson, from Manchester, who lives in the Mexican resort of Playa del Carmen, 30 miles south of Cancun, witnessed a "very impressive" electrical storm on Monday evening. | |
| "We had quite a lot of lightening, quite a lot of rain, and just a little bit of wind - so really it's just so that we can see that it's actually on its way," he said. | |
| "All the residents here are boarded up. I think quite a lot of people have learnt from the last hurricanes." | |
| Warnings | Warnings |
| The Cayman Islands avoided the brunt of the hurricane, with Dean's eye passing by 100 miles (160km) south and the strongest gusts reaching just 57 mph (92 kph), the Caymans government said. | The Cayman Islands avoided the brunt of the hurricane, with Dean's eye passing by 100 miles (160km) south and the strongest gusts reaching just 57 mph (92 kph), the Caymans government said. |
| The Foreign Office is now advising against all non-essential travel to the coastal areas of Belize. Those already there are being told to move inland. | The Foreign Office is now advising against all non-essential travel to the coastal areas of Belize. Those already there are being told to move inland. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY My daughter and her husband are in the second week of their holiday in Cancun Ian, Nottingham Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY My daughter and her husband are in the second week of their holiday in Cancun Ian, Nottingham Send us your comments |
| David Spires, acting British high commissioner in Belize, said people had been strongly advised to leave their homes. | David Spires, acting British high commissioner in Belize, said people had been strongly advised to leave their homes. |
| "We understand that most people have taken that option, although one or two people are battening down the hatches and deciding to ride out the storm," he said. | "We understand that most people have taken that option, although one or two people are battening down the hatches and deciding to ride out the storm," he said. |
| Meanwhile, an estimated 5,000 holidaymakers in Jamaica are waking up to see trees uprooted and roofs torn apart after the south coast of the island was battered overnight by winds of up to 230km/h (145mph). | Meanwhile, an estimated 5,000 holidaymakers in Jamaica are waking up to see trees uprooted and roofs torn apart after the south coast of the island was battered overnight by winds of up to 230km/h (145mph). |
| Advice line | Advice line |
| Some hotels were evacuated, curfews were imposed and the national grid was shut down. | Some hotels were evacuated, curfews were imposed and the national grid was shut down. |
| A month-long state of emergency has now been declared, widening the powers of security forces. | A month-long state of emergency has now been declared, widening the powers of security forces. |
| Me and my family are due to depart the island tomorrow... and we have no idea if we will be able to do so Victoria Malbon, Jamaica BBC News website reader Hurricane Dean: Readers' updates In pictures | Me and my family are due to depart the island tomorrow... and we have no idea if we will be able to do so Victoria Malbon, Jamaica BBC News website reader Hurricane Dean: Readers' updates In pictures |
| Marcia Sinclair, director of emergencies at the Red Cross in Jamaica, said early signs suggested the damage caused was not as bad as predicted. | Marcia Sinclair, director of emergencies at the Red Cross in Jamaica, said early signs suggested the damage caused was not as bad as predicted. |
| The Foreign Office is advising British people against all travel to Jamaica until further notice. | The Foreign Office is advising British people against all travel to Jamaica until further notice. |
| The British High Commission in Jamaica has set up a 24-hour phone line for UK nationals seeking advice. | The British High Commission in Jamaica has set up a 24-hour phone line for UK nationals seeking advice. |
| In the meantime, two Royal Navy ships are heading to the region to offer assistance. | In the meantime, two Royal Navy ships are heading to the region to offer assistance. |
| The Ministry of Defence said HMS Portland and RFA Wave Ruler would track the hurricane and be able to react immediately. | The Ministry of Defence said HMS Portland and RFA Wave Ruler would track the hurricane and be able to react immediately. |
| ADVICE LINE FOR UK NATIONALS (00 1 876) 510 0700 | ADVICE LINE FOR UK NATIONALS (00 1 876) 510 0700 |
| The vessels are part of the Royal Navy's Atlantic Patrol (North) which supports British dependent territories in the Caribbean during the hurricane season. | The vessels are part of the Royal Navy's Atlantic Patrol (North) which supports British dependent territories in the Caribbean during the hurricane season. |
| Commander Mike Utley, on HMS Portland, said he would follow the hurricane and assist those affected where possible. | Commander Mike Utley, on HMS Portland, said he would follow the hurricane and assist those affected where possible. |
| "My tasking now is to continue to follow Hurricane Dean, and to be ready with reactive tasking as required to bring the capability that we have to help people out," he said. | "My tasking now is to continue to follow Hurricane Dean, and to be ready with reactive tasking as required to bring the capability that we have to help people out," he said. |
| Are you a British tourist trapped in the affected areas? Or has your holiday been cancelled or delayed? Tell us your story here and we will publish a selection on this page. | Are you a British tourist trapped in the affected areas? Or has your holiday been cancelled or delayed? Tell us your story here and we will publish a selection on this page. |