Hurricane clean-up begins

Victoria Ward

The storm ripped over the Gulf of Mexico coast, causing flooding and power shortages but nowhere near the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in the same region last year.

Dennis was blamed for the deaths of 10 people in Cuba and up to 22 in Haiti.

President George W Bush declared major disaster zones in Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.

Holiday-makers in the Florida Keys began to return to the islands but were warned to check with properties in advance.

Florida Keys Marathon Airport was open for business and Key West Airport was due to reopen late yesterday.

Initial estimates suggested Dennis could cause up to $2.5 billion (2.07bn) in insurance losses.

Dennis hit Florida on Sunday as a 10ft tidal surge roared over sea walls, smashing trees and spilling eight blocks in.

Winds reaching 120mph ripped roofs off buildings and cut power to more than 500,000 homes in four states.

As it reached Alabama the storm weakened and winds subsided to 60mph.

Some 1.8 million people were urged to evacuate Florida and Mississippi.

Dennis was the strongest hurricane to form so early in the season since records began and the fifth to hit Florida in less than a year.