Storm grows to hurricane strength

Tropical Storm Emily grew to hurricane strength today as the system crossed the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, the National Centre in Miami said.

A US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft measured the sustained winds nearly 90mph as the storm approached Grenada, which is still recovering from last year’s devastating Hurricane Ivan.

Earlier, forecasters had predicted that the storm would not grow to a hurricane as it passed through this region.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Grenada, St Vincent, the Grenadines and St Lucia, the centre said.

At 11pm yesterday (4am today Irish time), the centre of Emily was about 45 miles east-south-east of Grenada.

Emily trails Hurricane Dennis, which destroyed crops and killed at least 25 people in Haiti and 16 in Cuba last week, according to authorities in the two countries.