Grenada's limited state of emergency kicked in yesterday, with T&T Defence Force troops at the forefront of efforts to curb continued looting and keep the peace on the hurricane-battered island.

A 24-year-old man labelled by police as being ?a pest,? was yesterday shot to death by a lone gunman in what investigators believe was a gang-related incident.

BRIDGETOWN-Armed bandits, some in camouflage army clothing, have been robbing vessels in Grenadian waters. The vessels, laden with food and other supplies, have been heading for the hurricane-ravaged Isle of Spice.

Grenada prime minister Keith Mitchell and his cabinet were meeting last night to decide on a limited state of emergency for the island in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan.

Jamaicans began feeling the earliest effects of Hurricane Ivan late last night as the most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean in more than 10 years neared the island.

The prime minister of Grenada has been rescued by the Royal Navy after his home was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan which has killed at least 15 in the southern Caribbean.

Barring an 11th hour shift in its direction, Hurricane Ivan, having already wreaked havoc in the southern Caribbean, was on course to hit Jamaica with a thumping blow by tomorrow and forecasters warned that its impact could be more ferocious than Gilbert 16 years ago.

The stench of death hovered over Grenada yesterday as islanders cowered together in makeshift tents to spend the night in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, which has left a trail of destruction and fear among the population of just over 96,000 people.

ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada (AP) ? Hurricane Ivan made a direct hit on Grenada, killing at least three people as it turned concrete homes into piles of rubble and hurled the island's landmark red zinc roofs through the air.

Hurricane Ivan, packing winds of up to 185 km an hour an hour, hammered Tobago yesterday afternoon, leaving a stream of devastation in its wake.