North East Mexico and the American state of Texas are bracing themselves for Hurricane Bret, a powerful storm packing winds of up to 140 miles per hour. At 1pm today Bret was about 80 miles off the coast of Texas and heading for land. It is expected to hit the American coast late tonight
Authorities have ordered the evacuation of a number of coastal areas. People have begun leaving coastal areas of Mexico and the United States, along the Gulf of Mexico, after warnings that the approaching hurricane could be the strongest to hit the area since 1989. The United States National Weather Service has upgraded Hurricane Bret to the category of dangerous and advised people living in parts of Texas and northern Mexico to leave their homes.
Refugee centres have already been set up in Mexico in preparation for the first of this year's Atlantic hurricanes. Hurricane Bret is reported to be the strongest hurricane to threaten the area since Hurricane Gilbert.
