The first tropical storm of the Atlantic season has hit the north-eastern Caribbean and the Florida Panhandle with gale-force winds and driving rain.
Although Tropical Storm Claudette weakened as it hit land, strong gusts of wind continued to batter Panama City in Florida during the night.
Hurricane Bill, which is currently producing tropical winds extending out 200 miles, is expected to become a major storm in the next couple of days, although it is not expected to hit Florida.
