BELIZE CITY, Belize - Hundreds of tourists and residents fled low-lying islands off Belize and beachgoers were warned to stay out of the water along Mexico's resort-studded Caribbean coast as Tropical Storm Alex began lashing the region.
Alex, with maximum sustained winds of about 65 mph, was expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico late today. The storm appeared headed west of the massive oil spill in parts of the Gulf, but meteorologists warned that a storm's track can change quickly.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Alex was centered just 15 miles east-southeast of Belize City on Saturday afternoon, and heavy rains were spreading into northern Guatemala and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for Belize and Mexico's entire Caribbean coastline up to Cancun.
Belize officials opened storm shelters in the island tourist resort of San Pedro, as 1,400 people fled for the mainland by plane and by boat. Torrential downpours and heavy winds were reported on offshore islands Saturday afternoon.
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Shelters also opened in Belize City, where motorists formed long lines at gas stations and shoppers stocked up on water, canned food and other emergency supplies amid sporadic rain.
Rough seas halted maritime traffic, and Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya-Flowers went on national radio to urge boaters to make for safe harbor. Nevertheless, she said, emergency plans were well under way and "we are prepared."
A storm surge of 3 to 5 feet was expected along the northern coast and offshore islands, national emergency coordinator Noreen Fairweather said.
Moderate rain was falling along the Yucatan Peninsula, and Quintana Roo state authorities said choppy waves made it too dangerous to swim - but otherwise the storm did not pose a significant threat to tourist areas such as Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
State Public Safety Director Miguel Ramos Real said 25 fisherman were evacuated and 17 navy personnel were brought to the mainland from a base on Banco Chinchorro atoll. Three shelters were opened, and ports were closed to small craft.
Meteorologists predict that Alex will likely lose strength as it passes over the Yucatan Peninsula, before picking up steam again over the Gulf of Mexico.
The latest Hurricane Center forecast puts Alex on a track that would take it through the southwestern Gulf and toward landfall around Veracruz or Tamaulipas state in Mexico - possibly as a hurricane.
Forecaster Jack Bevens said for now, the storm is not expected to hit the spill that has fouled the Gulf.
He noted, however, that it's too early to say with certainty exactly where Alex will go.
Meanwhile in the Pacific, two hurricanes were far offshore Saturday.
