Dean packed sustained winds of 145 miles per hour (230 km per hour) and its eye was about 130 miles (210 km) east-southeast of Kingston at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).

Hurricane-force winds began lashing Jamaica on Sunday afternoon, Waddington said. But the island avoided a direct hit when Dean's eye wound up passing just to the south Sunday night.

Jamaican officials are warning residents to take shelter as Hurricane Dean approaches the island. Thousands of tourists fled the country before the airports were closed.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) – Jamaicans headed inland and tourists fled the country hours before a large and powerful Hurricane Dean appeared poised to make a direct hit on the island Sunday after a deadly ...