Half a million evacuated as new hurricane looms

Nearly half a million people were ordered to evacuate as Hurricane Frances swirled toward Florida today just three weeks after Charley’s devastating visit, threatening to deliver the most powerful double punch to hit a state in at least a century.

Those planning to ride out the storm snapped up canned food, water and generators, while military helicopters and planes were flown out of the area and Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Centre said it would close today.