WEST PALM BEACH, United States (AFP) - Residents along Florida`s east coast prepared for the worst as the first squalls of strengthening Hurricane Jeanne slammed the coast with stinging winds and driving sheeted rain, the fourth major storm to hit the state in six weeks.
Three million people have been ordered to evacuate as the storm bore down on the Florida coast on the heels of Hurricane Frances which devastated the area earlier this month.
Most of Florida`s Atlantic coast was under a hurricane warning, with officials urging residents not to let fatigue or complacency hinder preparations ahead of expected landfall sometime Saturday night.
A tropical storm watch was in effect for the state`s western coast along the Gulf of Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami called Jeanne a "dangerous category three hurricane...with sustained winds near 115 miles (185 km) per hour and higher gusts.
"Coastal storm surge flooding of four to seven feet (1.2 - 2.1 meters) above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected," the center said in its 7:30 pm (1130 GMT) updated hurricane bulletin.
It said the eye of the storm was about 90 miles (145 km) east-southeast of Vero Beach, Florida, moving between west and west-northweat at 14 miles (22.5 km) per hour.
"On this trajectory the core of Jeanne will reach the Florida coast tonight," said the center.
"Preparations to protect life and property in the hurricane warning area should be rushed to completion."
"There are some reports that people are not evacuating as they have been asked to," Florida Governor Jeb Bush said. "This storm will be stronger than Frances."
Bush said he had asked US President George W. Bush, his brother, to declare Florida a disaster zone for the fourth time in six weeks to "help us expedite additional support."
The city of West Palm Beach, in the path of the storm, was virtually deserted late Saturday, with a handful of people -- and one lone surfer -- on the beach, and five police cruisers reminding residents with loudspeakers of the mandatory evacuation order.
"I just wanted to look at the beach a last time before I evacuate," said hotel worker Hernan Martinez.
Kathy Chasteen, a resident of nearby Vero Beach, said she planned to stay, as her home had already been destroyed.
"I`m not running. I`ve already lost everything" she said.
Many residents were still desperate to protect homes already damaged by Hurricane Frances from the approaching storm.
Tricia Pollard, coordinating the delivery of emergency canvas tarps in Port St. Lucie, told the Palm Beach Post daily she had already distributed 17,000 to cover the roofs of homes damaged by Frances.
"Most of those people still haven`t seen a roofer. It`s going to take months before the contractors get around to fixing all the roofs damaged," she said.
Employees of the Florida Power and Light electric company said it could take weeks to fix power outages caused by the storm amid ongoing problems from the three previous ones.
"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.
Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas echoed the warning. "You can`t alter your preparations just because it`s the third, fourth or fifth event of the season," he said.
Hurricane Ivan last killed more than 130 in the eastern United States and Caribbean nations. Before that, hurricanes Charley and Frances killed dozens and destroyed thousands of homes after slamming into Florida`s east coast.