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MTV hurries video awards as Hurricane Wilma nears

Posted on: Tuesday, 18 October 2005, 13:40 CDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Wary that a hurricane might crash its second star-studded party in a row, MTV has moved its Latin American music video awards ceremony on Mexico's Caribbean coast ahead by a day.

MTV's Video Music Awards Latin America 2005 will be held one day early, on October 19, in the resort town of Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo state, the entertainment company said on Tuesday as Hurricane Wilma bore down on the region.

"We want to avoid any risk to the public or the talent," MTV organizer Dulce Gordillo told Reuters.

Gordillo said the sun was still shining in Playa del Carmen and a bikini beach party would go ahead as planned.

Wilma is expected to intensify into a major hurricane with winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph) and brush by Quintana Roo on Thursday or Friday as it heads toward Florida, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Katrina put a damper on pre-ceremony festivities at the MTV Video Music Awards in August as it hurled rain and wind at Miami on the way to New Orleans, although the main event was not interrupted.

Colombian pop star Shakira is set to sweep the Latin American awards in Playa del Carmen with five nominations, including Best Female Artist.

Fellow Colombian Juanes, Argentine electro-pop group Miranda! and controversial Mexican rockers Molotov have also received several nominations each.

Source: REUTERS

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