Hurricane Wilma, the 12th hurricane of the season to threaten the Caribbean and Florida coastline, has strengthened into a dangerous Category Five storm. Its maximum winds of near 175mph (280km/h) are threatening Cuba, Mexico and the Cayman Islands, which have issued warnings in coastal areas. Forecasters say Wilma presents a "significant threat" to Florida, which it is expected to hit this weekend. The Central American states of Honduras and Nicaragua have also issued alerts. "We are not going to wait for the storm to hit," said Honduras' emergency commission chief Luis Gomez. Map of storm path below In Jamaica, Wilma was blamed for one death after heavy rainfall flooded several low-lying communities, blocked roads and forced 100 people into shelters, according to local officials. As of 0500 (0900 GMT), the centre of the hurricane was about 170 miles (270km) south-southwest of Grand Cayman and about 365 miles (590km) south-east of Cozumel, Mexico. Wilma is moving west-northwest at a speed of 8mph (13km/h) and is expected to turn north-west in the next 24 hours. Forecasters said a reading of the storm's pressure showed it to be the most powerful of the year. The last year to record 12 hurricanes in a season since records began was 1969. Evacuation Vulnerable areas such as the Florida Keys island chain are preparing to evacuate. Residents have already begun buying emergency supplies. "People have learned their lesson and know better how to prepare. We're not waiting until the last minute anymore," Andrea Yerger, of Port Charlotte, told the Associated Press news agency. She was buying material to protect her house, which had to be gutted after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Charley last year. Wilma has raised concerns regarding oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. The areas threatened by the new hurricane are still recovering from the devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The authorities in New Orleans have told residents to be ready to evacuate, although Louisiana is not in Wilma's path. Hurricane Katrina killed nearly 1,200 people along the US Gulf Coast in August. Hundreds more died in Mexico and Central America when Hurricane Stan struck early this month. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com