The US state of Florida is braced for Tropical Storm Fay, which is thought to have claimed dozens of lives on its rampage through the Caribbean.Forecasters warned Fay could reach hurricane force as it approached the Florida peninsula.
The storm's centre has already crossed Florida Key West with winds near 60mph (97km/h), flooding some roads.
Florida's Governor Charlie Crist warned that Fay threatened a "major disaster", but he insisted the state was prepared.
With a state of emergency in place, Mr Crist said some 500 national guard members had been deployed, with another 8,500 on standby.
The US National Hurricane Center said the storm still had the potential to top sustained winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) by the time it hits the west coast of Florida early on Tuesday.
Across Florida at least 22 school districts, a number of colleges and a university have cancelled classes.
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