Irene buffets Puerto Rico, threatens Florida

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico,  (Reuters) – Hurricane Irene  buffeted Puerto Rico with winds and torrential rain today,  knocking out power and downing trees as it churned westward on  a track that will threaten Florida by the end of the week.
Local media in the U.S. Caribbean territory reported that  about 600 people took refuge in shelters, and electricity was  knocked out across half of the island, including the capital,  San Juan, affecting some 800,000 people.
Trees were blown down, rivers overflowed and coastal roads  were flooded. But there were no immediate reports of deaths or  serious casualties.
Governor Luis Fortuno said the worst-hit area was the east  coast, from Fajardo to Yabucoa, and he had asked the U.S.  government to declare Puerto Rico a disaster area so it can  gain access to emergency funds.
“This turned into a hurricane in a matter of 24 hours and  crossed the entire island,” Fortuno said. “This shows we need  to be prepared when these systems approach.”
At 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT), Irene, carrying winds of 80 miles  per hour (130 kph), was moving away from Puerto Rico and would  approach the northern coast of the Dominican Republic later today, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
It was heading for the southeastern Bahamas.
This morning, rains and winds had already eased in San  Juan and the airport was expected to reopen.
Irene, the first hurricane of what has been a busy but  non-destructive 2011 Atlantic season to date, formed earlier on  Monday over Puerto Rico.
COULD STRENGTHEN TO CATEGORY 3 STORM
The NHC’s general forecast shows the hurricane nearing  South Florida by late on Thursday and early on Friday after  passing over the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.
Most computer forecast models show Irene swinging up  parallel to Florida’s east coast with possible eventual  landfall on the Georgia or South Carolina coast early on  Saturday. A few models show the hurricane shifting farther west  up the Gulf of Mexico coast of the Florida peninsula.
NHC wind speed predictions indicated Irene, currently a  Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity  scale, could come close to being a major Category 3 hurricane  by the weekend.
Puerto Rico had lifted a ban on Sunday morning shopping,  allowing stores to open so residents could stock up on canned  food, bottled water and other necessities. Prices were frozen  and alcohol sales were halted until after the storm passes.
Schools and government offices were closed for Monday in  the U.S. territory of 3.9 million people.
Fortuno rushed back to Puerto Rico on Sunday from North  Carolina, where he was named chairman of the Southern Governors  Association.
In the Dominican Republic, authorities warned of abnormal  waves up to 15 feet (4.5 metres) high. Weeks of heavy rainfall  have already caused deadly flooding in the Dominican Republic  and authorities had said they may issue evacuation orders for  vulnerable areas on Monday.
Residents of the Southeastern United States were urged to  monitor Irene’s progress as the storm headed their way.