Rains pound Grenada, flooding forces evacuations

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada – Unseasonable heavy rains have caused landslides on the Caribbean island of Grenada, where officials on Tuesday relocated families away from swollen rivers that flooded homes and destroyed small fishing boats.

"We should be in the dry season, but we are experiencing so much rain," Grenada Prime Minister Tillman Thomas said while he toured the island's northwest region.

Flooding turned the small coastal town of Gouyave into a jumble of mud, trees, sand and stones. More than 20 families were left without shelter.

Deputy Disaster Coordinator Terrence Walters said no one died or had been reported missing, but residents in the western parishes of St. Mark and St. John lost their belongings. Some 15 fishing boats also were wrecked, he said.

Up to six inches of rain fell during the 24 hours through Tuesday morning and more rain was expected, said John Peters at the state meteorological office.