26 September 2004	Sunday	10 Shaban 1425

MIAMI, Sept 25: Close to a million residents were ordered to leave their homes along Florida's east coast on Saturday as Hurricane Jeanne barrelled toward the distinction of becoming the fourth hurricane to hit the state in six weeks.

The core of the storm was due to move first over the Abaco Islands in the northwestern Bahamas, bringing battering waves, flash floods and dangerous rip currents, forecasters said.

Virtually the entire Atlantic coast of Florida was under a hurricane warning, with officials urging residents not to let fatigue or complacency hinder preparations ahead of expected landfall sometime before dawn Sunday.

Some 15.3 million Floridians could feel the effects of Hurricane Jeanne, the US Census Bureau warned.

"I know people are frustrated, I know they are tired of all this, trust me their governor is too," Governor Jeb Bush said after evacuation information was issued Friday.

"We cannot afford to treat Jeanne any differently than any of the other hurricanes," said Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas. "You can't alter your preparations just because it's the third, fourth or fifth event of the season."

Hurricane Ivan last week left more than 130 dead in the eastern United States and Caribbean nations. Before that, hurricanes Charley and Frances claimed dozens of lives. Thousands of homes have been destroyed.

Early Saturday predictions showed the core of the hurricane hitting the coast around Fort Pierce, an area pounded by Hurricane Frances just three weeks ago.

Kathy Chasteen, a resident of nearby Vero Beach, said her home had already been destroyed. "I'm not running. I've already lost everything," she said.

"It's unbelievable. This year is going to be one to tell your grandchildren about," said Max Mayfield, director of the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

More than 1,100 perished when Jeanne hit the impoverished Caribbean state of Haiti at tropical-storm strength a week ago, flooding areas in the north of the country left defenceless by deforestation, population density and poverty.

Jeanne, now packing winds of 170kms per hour, was due to pass over the northwestern Bahamas on its inexorable march west.

At 0900 GMT the core of the storm was located about 90kms east of Great Abaco Island in the northwestern Bahamas, 385kms east of the southeastern Florida coast, early on Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.

"Another storm is headed in that direction. It will be another test of will and compassion," President George Bush said of Florida.

"We extend our prayers for the people down there. We hope for the very best," he added during a ceremony in Washington. "The federal government, the armies of compassion stand ready to help."

The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane watch along the densely populated Florida east coast from Florida City, south of Miami, northward to St. Augustine, with a hurricane warning in effect for the northwestern Bahamas.

It noted that some Jewish residents observing Yom Kippur might be unaware of the developments because they would not watch television or listen to the radio during the holiday, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.

Some 1,180 people died in floods unleashed by Jeanne in Haiti, while 1,200 others are still missing and feared dead.

In the Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti, authorities said the storm killed 27 people. There were also nine dead in the Bahamas and two in Puerto Rico. -AFP