Keith gains hurricane strength as it moves west to Mexico

MEXICO CITY - Tropical Storm Keith strengthened to a hurricane Saturday and threatened to hit Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.

Heavy rain pounded the eastern Yucatan, Belize and northern Honduras on Saturday. Storm surges caused rivers to overflow and flooded thousands of homes, civil protection officials in Mexico said.

A hurricane warning remained in effect along the Yucatan peninsula's eastern shore, from Cabo Catoche south to Monkey River Town in Belize, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

At 4 p.m. EDT, Keith was centered about about 105 miles east-southeast of Chetumal, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds increased to 100 mph, and forecasters expected the storm to drift north-northwest Sunday.

A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when winds reach 74 mph.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Joyce headed for the Windward Islands, raising storm warnings for Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada. A tropical storm watch was in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Hurricane Isaac diminished Saturday, with sustained winds at about 75 mph. The storm was in open water, about 1,120 miles west of the westernmost Azores.

On the Net:

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov