Hurricane Dean raked the Mexican mainland Wednesday and battered evacuated oil platforms, forcing thousands to flee as it regained some of the force it unleashed on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hurricane-force winds whipped the Caribbean coast of Mexico on today as a roaring Category 5 Hurricane Dean sped toward the ancient ruins and modern oil installations of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hurricane Dean strengthened into a 160mph Category 5 storm capable of catastrophic damage today, as its first rain and winds began hitting the coasts of Mexico and Belize.

CRUDE oil in New York rose to its highest close this year after Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, said it will comply with OPEC production cuts.