Caribbean storm upgraded to hurricane

Tropical Storm Felix strengthened into a hurricane today and spun through the Caribbean towards a group of small islands off Venezuela.

The fast-growing Category 1 hurricane was forecast to pass just north of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao later today. Authorities issued a hurricane watch for the Dutch Caribbean islands.

Felix was then expected to pass by Honduran resort islands before ploughing into Belize on Wednesday.

At 4am Irish time the hurricane was centred roughly 210 miles east of Aruba, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami. It had top sustained winds of 75mph, with higher gusts.

Felix, the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours and was moving west at about 18mph. Forecasters said satellite images show Felix was steadily expanding in size.

A tropical storm watch was issued by the government of Jamaica, which was battered by Hurricane Dean on August 19.

Earlier, as a tropical storm, Felix pounded Grenada with heavy rains and winds, snapping small boats loose from their moorings, temporarily knocking out local radio and TV stations and toppling power and telephone lines.

No injuries were reported, but the storm ripped roofs off at least two homes and a popular concert venue in the southern Caribbean island was demolished. Orchards were left in ruin.

Felix became the sixth named storm of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season yesterday, spawning thunderstorms and downing trees in Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines and the twin-island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Those islands reported only minor damage.

In Aruba, about 20 miles off the coast of Venezuela, residents stocked up on groceries, torches and window reinforcements to prepare for Felix’s arrival. The airport was reported busy but calm as tourists got on flights.

Tropical Storm Henriette, meanwhile, was moving out to sea after dumping rain on Mexico’s Pacific coastline.

In the resort city of Acapulco, the downpours loosened a giant boulder that smashed into a home, killing one adult and two children.

Two others were injured. A teenager and her two brothers were also killed when a landslide hit their house in a poor district.

Rebecca Waddington, a meteorologist at the US hurricane centre, advised employees of oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico to monitor Felix’s progress as she said the storm could enter the area in four to five days.