Hurricane Dean grows after Caribbean islands havoc

HURRICANE Dean grew into a major storm with 200km/h winds yesterday after it smashed into the Caribbean islands, knocking out power and setting off landslides before heading toward the oil and gas rigs of the Gulf of Mexico.

Dean strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane capable of widespread destruction after it roared through the narrow channel between the Lesser Antilles islands of St Lucia and Martinique, crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the warm Caribbean Sea.

Dean’s projected path would take it near Jamaica tonight.