Cayman Islands Prepare For Dean's Wrath

Category 4 Storm Could Gain Strength After Hammering Jamaica, Leaving At Least 8 Dead

(CBS/AP)  Authorities in the Cayman Islands imposed a curfew and evacuated tourists as the British territory braced for a brush Monday with Hurricane Dean, which has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean killing at least eight people.

Dean's predicted path has the storm veering south of the Cayman Islands and most likely sparing it from a devastating blow, CBS News' Early Show weatherman Dave Price reported from Cancun, Mexico.

However, the government said it still posed a "significant threat" to the islands. Forecasters said the islands could receive up to 12 inches of rain.

Hundreds of frantic vacationers lined up at ticket counters for special flights home, and many slept on the airport floor. Cayman Islands Gov. Stuart Jack said all but 1,500 tourists had been evacuated from the British territory by Sunday afternoon.

"It's kind of spooky," said George Mitchell, of Detroit, who missed his flight out. "We don't know what to do or where to go. It freaks you out."

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the first hurricane of the Atlantic season was a powerful Category 4 storm, and could reach the highest level - Category 5, with maximum winds greater than 155 mph - later Monday.

As of 5 a.m. EDT Monday, Dean was about 115 miles southeast of Grand Cayman and about 495 miles east of Belize City. It was traveling west at about 21 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

In Mexico, travelers also slept on floors at Cancun's international airport, hoping to get one of the last flights out Monday before Dean was expected to slam into Mexico's Caribbean coast.

Cancun's airport may shut down Monday, leaving thousands to ride out this potentially devastating storm, CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano reported.

Nicolas Martignoles, 27, a teacher from Paris, stretched out on the airport floor with friends, prepared to wait all night. "We came to the airport because we are on standby, but all the flights are full, so we are waiting for another flight tomorrow."

In Texas, officials opened emergency operations centers, moved inmates to prisons farther inland and passed out sandbags along portions of the Texas coast as Hurricane Dean barreled toward the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.