Hurricane Emily batters Mexican coast

Thousands fled for shelter round the Mexico-Texas border as approaching Hurricane Emily lashed the coast with strong winds and rain after killing at least five people in the Caribbean.

With winds of 200km/h and strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane, capable of destroying mobile homes, Emily was set to make landfall today in northeastern Mexico.

About 17,000 Mexicans in Tamaulipas state were evacuated to shelters, coastal residents in the far south of Texas laid sandbags and nailed plywood over their windows, and on South Padre Island, a popular holiday spot, police ordered tourists to leave a trailer park.