Steady
10-19-2005, 09:48 PM
Wilma Lashes Caribbean Coastlines; 13 Die
By FREDDY CUEVAS, Associated Press Writer
1 hour ago
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras - The fringes of Hurricane Wilma _ which rapidly strengthened to one of the Americas' most intense storms ever _ lashed Caribbean coastlines Wednesday, forcing tourists to flee and thousands to evacuate as it threatened to slam into Cancun and southern Florida.
At least 13 deaths have been blamed on the storm this week, including a man who drowned Wednesday while trying to cross a river that overflowed its banks in southern Haiti.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that Wilma _ packing 160 mph winds Wednesday afternoon, down from 175 mph earlier in the day _ would be a "significant threat" to Florida by the weekend in a season that already has seen devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Visitors were ordered out of the Florida Keys.
By FREDDY CUEVAS, Associated Press Writer
1 hour ago
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras - The fringes of Hurricane Wilma _ which rapidly strengthened to one of the Americas' most intense storms ever _ lashed Caribbean coastlines Wednesday, forcing tourists to flee and thousands to evacuate as it threatened to slam into Cancun and southern Florida.
At least 13 deaths have been blamed on the storm this week, including a man who drowned Wednesday while trying to cross a river that overflowed its banks in southern Haiti.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that Wilma _ packing 160 mph winds Wednesday afternoon, down from 175 mph earlier in the day _ would be a "significant threat" to Florida by the weekend in a season that already has seen devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Visitors were ordered out of the Florida Keys.