Hurricane Richard slammed into Belize’s Caribbean coast just south of its largest city, as authorities evacuated tourists from outlying islands and an estimated 10,000 people took refuge at shelters in the tiny Central American nation.

Hurricane Dean ploughed into the Caribbean coast of Mexico today as a roaring Category 5 hurricane, lashing ancient Mayan ruins and heading for modern oil installations.

The mayor of a hurricane-hit town in Belize where at least 19 people died aboard a dive boat said he offered the American visitors shelter on land three times.