Fay is the sixth storm of the Atlantic hurricane season [AFP]

Heavy rains and flooding have already killed at least two people in Dominican Republic and Haiti, which share the island of Hispaniola.

Thousands of people in the path of the storm have been evacuated.

The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami recorded Fay as having winds moving at 85 kph on Sunday.

The centre expected the storm, the sixth of the Atlantic hurricane season, to develop into a hurricane as it reached central Cuba.

The storm is expected to then move slowly north to Florida by Monday afternoon.

Charlie Crist, the governor of Florida state, declared a state of emergency, and US media reported that tourists had been advised to leave. Power is expected to be cut and businesses are likely to shut down.

"Florida is very, very practiced at these things," Crist said. "The watch word for Floridians is be calm, but be alert."

Hundreds of homes have already been brought down in the Dominican Republic and four people remain missing.

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