Sunshine, chaos follow in Mexico

Lines of people waiting to receive food packages stretched for blocks.
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) -- Mexicans and stranded tourists, hungry and frustrated after a two-day beating by Hurricane Wilma, stood in line to buy supplies Sunday or simply raided grocery or furniture stores, dragging goods from shops ripped open by the storm.
The hurricane's steady march toward southern Florida meant an end here to two days of howling winds and torrential rains that shattered windows, peeled away roofing and sent the ocean crashing into hotel lobbies. The sun emerged over Mexico's sugar-white Caribbean beaches.
But another kind of chaos took over, as police shot into the air to scare looters away from a shopping center, and looters responded by throwing rocks and chunks of concrete.
Downtown, officials feared looters would turn on tourists, so they quickly evacuated more than 30 foreigners from a downtown area overrun by people raiding stores. Military officials and police stood guard outside businesses and set up checkpoints to seize stolen goods.
"It's chaos," said fire official Gregorio Vergara. "They are taking things all over the city."
One group of residents pushed carts against the boarded-up windows of a grocery store in an attempt to break in. At a convenience store, Cancun resident Alex Aguilar took batteries and aspirin.
"The window was broken, so we just went in and got what we wanted," he said.
Others waited in long lines at the few stores that were open. Some American tourists without local currency offered $100 bills for $5 calling cards.
Relief efforts
Meanwhile, military aid convoys rolled into the resort town, handing out bottled water and medical aid. City officials distributed food packages of rice, beans, crackers and cooking oil to people standing in lines that stretched for blocks.
There was little food left on the isolated island of Cozumel, as well, making some people anxious.
The storm knocked out many of the island's docks, making it difficult for navy ships to arrive. State officials were trying to clear airstrips on Cozumel and nearby Isla Mujeres so that planes could land with aid. President Vicente Fox said the government would send helicopters, as well.
Damages
State officials said at least three people died during the storm: one by a falling tree and two others when a gas tank exploded. Four badly decomposed bodies were also found floating in flood waters on Cozumel, but officials said it was unclear if the deaths were related to the storm.
Last week, Wilma killed 13 people in Jamaica and Haiti.
Also Sunday, the Dominican Republic and Haiti received heavy rains when Tropical Storm Alpha made landfall, then later weakened into a tropical depression. Days of rain from Wilma had already swollen rivers and saturated the soil in the countries, prompting concerns about flash floods and mudslides.
Officials used the Greek alphabet to name Alpha -- the record-setting 22nd named storm of the Atlantic season -- after running all the way through the 2005 storm name list. The hurricane season ends next month.