RESIDENTS at a newly built south Dublin apartment complex were left shaken after the roof of a penthouse was torn off by gale force winds.

Residents evacuated, owners boarded up homes and businesses and emergency officials prepared rescue and relief plans as forecasters predicted Hurricane Wilma would pick up speed on a course toward Florida.

Residents began fleeing the Florida Keys and parts of the United States mainland today as Hurricane Wilma headed towards Florida.

The governor of Florida today declared a state of emergency ahead of approaching Hurricane Wilma, but the state got a little breathing room when the storm’s slower pace postponed its likely landfall.

Hurricane Wilma weakened slightly as it roared toward Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula and southern Florida today, leaving at least 12 people dead in its wake and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands in coastal areas from Honduras to the Florida Keys.

HURRICANE Wilma turned into the most intense Atlantic storm ever recorded yesterday, a Category 5 monster packing 175mph wind that forecasters warned was “extremely dangerous”.

Monroe County officials have ordered visitors out of Florida Keys ahead of Hurricane Wilma, the first US evacuations caused by the Category 5 storm.

Hardware stores that sent supplies to areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita restocked their shelves for anxious Floridians waiting to see if Hurricane Wilma would turn toward the peninsula, which forecasters said could happen by the weekend.

TROPICAL Storm Wilma strengthened into a hurricane yesterday on a path that could threaten storm-battered Florida, tying the record for the most hurricanes to form in an Atlantic season.

All eyes will be on Florida next month when America goes to the polls.

Hurricane Ivan slammed into Cuba’s sparsely populated western tip with the worst of its 160mph (257kph) eyewall, strengthened to a storm of catastrophic strength after it smashed giant waves on to Grand Cayman island and readied to attack the Gulf of Mexico and US oil interests.

A strengthened Hurricane Ivan headed towards Cuba’s tobacco growing north west corner, with winds reaching 195 mph tonight, after ravaging the Cayman Islands.

Hurricane Ivan pummelled the Cayman Islands with fierce winds that ripped off roofs and floodwaters that swamped homes, then strengthened to an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm as it headed for western Cuba today.

The deadliest hurricane to hit the Caribbean in a decade is on course to slam into Jamaica today, leading to mass evacuation of tourists.

Hurricane Ivan left Grenada a wasteland of flattened houses, twisted metal and splintered wood as it bore down on Jamaica with deadly winds and monstrous waves, prompting the Jamaican government to order half a million people to flee their homes.

Hurricane Ivan grew into the deadliest of storms today, packing winds of 160mph as it headed straight for Jamaica and left a devastated Grenada with 20 dead.

WEAKENED but persistent, Tropical Storm Frances swept into north-western Florida yesterday as its successor, Hurricane Ivan, gathered in the Caribbean, threatening Barbados and St Lucia.

Weakened but persistent, Tropical Storm Frances took aim at north-western Florida today as its successor – Hurricane Ivan -gathered in the Caribbean, threatening Barbados and St Lucia.

Hurricane Frances weakened to a tropical storm today and crawled inland with heavy rain after leaving two people dead and more than five million without power.

Hurricane Frances swept across Florida today submerging entire roads, tearing off rooftops and leaving more than four million people without power.

Hurricane Frances pounded Florida with high wind and heavy rain today after it smashed across the state’s east coast, knocking out power to four million people, shredding roofs and uprooting trees.

The centre of the eye of Hurricane Frances struck Florida’s east coast today with sustained winds of 105mph and lashing rain, knocking out power to two million people.

Police banged on doors to wake up people whose homes flooded as Hurricane Frances tore through the Bahamas today with violent winds that ripped apart roofs, shattered windows and snapped trees. At least one man was electrocuted in the storm.

Hurricane Frances ripped apart roofs, shattered windows and toppled trees as it raged through the Bahamas yesterday with violent winds that sparked panic and drove thousands to flee. At least one man was electrocuted in the storm.

NEARLY 1.2 million Floridians were urged to leave their homes yesterday as massive and powerful Hurricane Frances roared toward the crowded south-east US coast.

Claims for US jobless benefits rose in the last week, but the rise was blamed on Hurricane Charley, the government said yesterday.

US stocks raced ahead in a late surge of bargain hunting today, as oil prices stepped back from their highs.

A 140 mph hurricane that is growing in strength is expected to plough through the Bahamas tonight before heading for Florida, still cleaning up after Hurricane Charley.

A brokerage downgrade of several semiconductor companies pressured tech shares in New York today, while the broader market was little changed as a jump in jobless claims offset investors’ relief over declining oil prices.

A disappointing sales forecast from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sent stocks mostly lower today as investors worried that oil prices, which stabilised after last week’s highs, would curb consumer spending and hurt companies’ third-quarter earnings.

WHAT a cruel day for the remnants of Hurricane Charley to come crashing down on Dublin.

ENJOY today’s sunshine while it lasts, because heavy rain is set to wash over the country in the coming days.

With the much-ballyhooed initial public offering of Google Inc. behind them and oil chugging to a new record high, investors took a step back today, sending stocks lower.

TYPHOONS in Japan, violent storms in France, hurricane aftermath in the USA, torrential downpours in Ireland - yesterday’s weather extremes drew obvious comparisons to The Day After Tomorrow blockbuster movie based on a worst-case global warming scenario.

European Tour golfer Barry Lane today spoke about the experience of Hurricane Charley in Florida.

A Derry man was released from hospital in Florida last night after he was injured in Hurricane Charley.

Driven from splintered trailers, roofless condominiums and powerless suburban homes, Hurricane Charley’s hungry victims sweated through long lines to find food, showers and drinking water three days after the storm left their lives in shambles.

RESCUE teams, insurance adjusters and US National Guard troops scattered across Florida yesterday to help victims of Hurricane Charley and deliver water and supplies to thousands of people left homeless.

Rescue teams, insurance adjusters and US National Guard troops scattered across Florida today to help victims of Hurricane Charley and deliver water and other supplies to thousands of people left homeless.

The Strokes warmed up for the forthcoming V Festival with a storming performance at New York's Little Steven's International Underground Garage Festival on Saturday.

Residents left homeless by Hurricane Charley’s 145 mph winds dug through their ravaged homes, sweeping up shattered glass and rescuing what they could as US President George Bush promised rapid delivery of disaster aid.

This column has been written in text, on a mobile phone in a room lit only by a candle. The temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

AS the remnants of Hurricane Charley disintegrated off the New England coast yesterday, Florida residents began the massive task of cleaning up.

The US presidential helicopter flew low over destroyed homes, downed power lines and uprooted trees today,as George W. Bush and his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush got a bird’s eye view of the destruction caused by Hurricane Charley.