The U.S. National Weather Service says Hurricane Wilma has regained strength and is packing winds of 185 kilometers per hour as it moves quickly up the U.S. East Coast.
Officials say the storm swept across the southern U.S. state of Florida Monday, causing widespread flooding, flattening trees and powerlines and turning debris into missiles. They say more than three-million people are without power.
President Bush has declared several Florida counties disaster areas. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, widely criticized for its slow response to Hurricane Katrina, say they are working closely with state and local authorities to respond to the hurricane.
Forecasters are also monitoring Tropical Depression Alpha, located 620-kilometers southwest of Bermuda.
They say it should continue moving northward until it is absorbed by Hurricane Wilma. The two storms are expected to cause heavy rain and coastal flooding along the U.S. East coast Tuesday.
Information for this report is provided by AP.