Hurricane Dean threatens Mexico’s Caribbean coast

The above photo shows passengers wait for departure from Mexican airport on Aug. 20, 2007. Hurricane Dean, the first powerful storm of the Atlantic season, is threatening to make landfall on Mexico's coast Monday. (Xinhua Photo)
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    MEXICO CITY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Dean, the first powerful storm of the Atlantic season, is threatening to make landfall on Mexico's coast Monday, after pounding Jamaica on its path through the Caribbean.

    The Mexican government warned that flooding is set to hit three Mexican states -- Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz -- with just hours to go before Hurricane Dean makes landfall.

    Michel Rosengaus, coordinator general of the U.S. National Meteorological Service, said the hurricane could hit any point on Mexico's Caribbean coast from Felipe Carrillo Puerto, in the state of Yucatan, to Chetumal, capital of Quintana Roo state.

    He said that between 100,000 and 150,000 people have been evacuated from the areas where the hurricane is forecast to pass, and that it is now a category four hurricane, but could reach category five, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

    Mexican authorities have already declared a red alert, the nation's highest danger rating, in Quintana Roo.

    State-run oil company Petroleos Mexicanos has evacuated its staff, around 13,000 workers, from its marine platforms in Campeche Sound, leaving only a skeleton crew needed to maintain production.

    Due to the impending landfall of the hurricane, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said he would cut short a visit to Canada, where he met U.S. President George W. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, to return home Tuesday to oversee emergency efforts.

    Cuba's western provinces remained on alert Monday, and authorities have evacuated more than 600,000 people throughout the country to save them from possible flooding.

    In New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the world body is ready to support relief efforts in the Caribbean area hit by Hurricane Dean.

    The United Nations is in close contact with the governments of affected countries and has deployed a team of disaster assessment and coordination experts, said the UN chief.