Hurricane Emily Strengthens

Category 3 Storm Pounds Grenada, Threatens Aruba, Venezuela

(AP)  Elsewhere in the country, two police stations and two homes for the elderly also lost their roofs, homes were damaged, streets were flooded and crops were destroyed. Authorities asked the public to remain at home or in shelters, where more than 1,600 people took refuge, as they assessed the damage.

Prime Minister Keith Mitchell planned to fly over the island to survey the destruction, Colleymore said.

In Trinidad, there was widespread flooding and at least one house washed away in the eastern community of Arima.

The Government of the Netherlands Antilles issued a tropical storm warning for Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba. A tropical storm warning was also called for a portion of Venezuela's northern coast.

Grenada's Prime Minister Keith Mitchell had sought before the storm to reassure citizens that the government would not be caught off-guard — as it was when Ivan killed 39 people and left a wasteland of ruined buildings in September.

Grenadians rushed home under heavy rain, forming traffic jams in the capital of St. George's. Islanders had flocked to the stores Tuesday, snapping up canned food, water and batteries. The rush contrasted with the attitude before Ivan, when islanders took few precautions.

“We took this very, very seriously,” said Colin Dowe, an assistant dean at the island's St. George's University, where dozens of students and faculty members waited out the storm. “Ivan was much stronger so the general feeling is that we can get through this.”

At 5 p.m. Thursday, Emily was centered about 445 miles southeast of the Dominican Republic capital, Santo Domingo. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 25 miles and tropical storm-force winds another 115 miles.

The struggle to recover from Ivan has prevented Grenada from thoroughly preparing for this year's hurricane season. Amid a shortage of construction supplies, many islanders still have no roofs and some children are still taught under tarps. Ivan's destruction left few buildings viable as shelters.

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.