Hurricane Dean has struck Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula near the border with Belize, bringing driving winds and lashing rain.

Major tourist areas were spared a direct hit as Dean came ashore, but smaller resorts suffered south of Cancun.

The worst-affected areas were poor and remote, and the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

There were power cuts as the wind knocked over trees and sent debris flying through the air, local officials said.

Heavy rains also lashed the neighbouring Belize, where a number of houses were destroyed.

US weather experts said the Yucatan Peninsula could still expect heavy rainfall, which might cause flash floods and landslides.

Dean made landfall as a rare Category Five storm, weakened to Category One over land, but was expected to strengthen again over the waters of the Mexican Gulf.