MIAMI, Aug 11 (AFP) - Two tropical storms raced toward the Caribbean and the US southern coast Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of oil platforms and widespread hurricane alerts.
A hurricane watch was issued for northwestern Florida as tropical storm Bonnie gathered strength in the Gulf of Mexico, forcing US oil giant ChevronTexaco Corp. to evacuate 15 oil platforms and two drilling rigs.
About 630 employees were evacuated from the company's operations in the central and eastern parts of the Gulf of Mexico, said ChevronTexaco spokesman Matt Carmichael.
"More importantly, we have about 67,501 barrels of oil production per day that has been shut in, as well as 107,675 million cubic feet of natural gas per day that has been shut in," Carmichael said.
"We're already making accommodations to get our crews back off shore as soon as the okay is given by the National Weather Service and all of our safety concerns are addressed," he added.
Authorities also issued a hurricane watch for the Florida Keys, as forecasts, which are subject to significant margins of error, showed tropical storm Charley could strengthen and eventually hit the chain of islands south of Miami.
A hurricane watch means sustained winds of 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour associated with a hurricane are possible within 36 hours in a specified coastal region.
A hurricane warning, which means such winds are likely within 24 hours, has been issued for the Cayman Islands, while parts of Cuba and Jamaica were under a hurricane watch as Charley was expected to strengthen into a hurricane Wednesday.
At 11:00 am (1500 GMT) Wednesday, Charley's center was 175 kilometers (110 miles) south-southeast of Kingston, moving west-northwest at 30 kilometers (18 miles) per hour and packing winds of 110 kilometers (70 miles) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
At 10:00 am Bonnie was located 376 kilometers (235 miles) south-southwest of the Mississippi Delta, and moving north-northeast at 10 kilometers (six miles) per hour, with an increase in speed expected later in the day, the hurricane center said. It packed winds of 85 kilometers (50 miles) per hour.
The US Coast Guard urged mariners to closely monitor the storms "and take early action to protect their vessels."
"Because of the uncertainty of weather movements and related bridge closures, mariners should seek early passage through drawbridges well in advance of the arrival of gale force winds," it said in a statement.