Britons race to flee hurricane

The death toll from the biggest storm to hit the Caribbean in a decade has risen as Hurricane Ivan bears down on Jamaica.

At least 23 people died when the category five hurricane, the strongest possible, tore across Grenada, causing destruction described as "beyond any imagination". About 800 British tourists are reported to be trying to escape from Jamaica, which is directly in the path of the storm, with winds reaching 160mph. Hurricane Ivan is expected to cross Jamaica today and move on towards Cuba.

A Thomson's spokesman said holidaymakers were being flown to hotels in the Dominican Republic for safety as British Airways cancelled all flights to Jamaica.

Authorities on the island are preparing to evacuate at least 500,000 people threatened by flooding from tidal waves caused by the hurricane.

Jamaica's Prime Minister P J Patterson warned islanders to "prepare for the worst-case scenario", saying: "At this difficult time, let us pray for God's care, his guidance and blessing."

Officials fear the storm will be a repeat of Hurricane Gilbert, which devastated Jamaica's economy in September 1988, causing damag e estimated at ?300 million. Schools and churches have been turned

into emergency shelters, with the flimsy shanty houses that are home to many of the poorer Jamaicans unlikely to survive the storm.

On Grenada, two Royal Navy ships rescued the island's prime minister Keith Mitchell after his house was destroyed. Crews from the frigate HMS Richmond and supply ship Wave Ruler were working to reopen Grenada's airport and provide medical help.

Richmond's commanding officer Mike McCartain said the island's capital St George's was "completely devastated" after being hit by 125mph winds.

At least 90 per cent of homes and buildings on the

island are said to have been damaged or destroyed by the storm, with police and troops from other Caribbean countries flying in to stop widespread looting.

The island's 17th-century prison was also reduced to rubble, allowing inmates to escape.

Forecasters say Ivan is on course for Florida, where it would be the third major storm to hit the state in less than a month.

Residents are still clearing up the damage from Hurricanes Charley and Frances which are estimated to have caused up to ?30 billion damage. Authorities ordered tourists to leave the Florida Keys yesterday and prepared to evacuate another 79,000 residents later today.

Current computer projections of the storm's path suggest it will hit the Keys by Monday afternoon, before moving north to come ashore along Florida's Gulf coast by Tuesday afternoon

Florida's governor Jeb Bush admitted residents were "at their wits' end" at the prospect of a third hurricane.