Page: 7

Head: 1-22 psb-3

Length: 5 total

SAN ANDRES ISLAND, Colombia — The storm Beta on Saturday strengthened as it battered the tiny Caribbean island of Providencia, setting a record by becoming the 13th hurricane of this relentless Atlantic season.

Beta lashed the mountainous Manhattan-sized island owned by Colombia with damaging winds, torrential rains and high surf, said the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

"Extensive damage to homes has occurred on the island," the hurricane center said.

There are 5,000 people on the island.

"We believe there are no deaths or injuries," Capt. German Collazos, ports chief on the island, told The Associated Press.

At 5 a.m. EDT, the National Hurricane Center said Beta was a Category 1 hurricane centered about 130 miles east of the Nicaraguan coastal town of Puerto Cabezas.

The hurricane was expected to move north-northwest and slam into Central America by Sunday as a Category 2 storm. It was not expected to affect the United States.