Katrina and the waves sink MTV

A hurricane is threatening to turn a major music awards ceremony into a washout.

Music and Hollywood stars could boycott Sunday's MTVVideo Music Awards because worsening Tropical Storm Katrina is closing in on Miami.

Mariah Carey, who planned to arrive on a 40m yacht, Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson are among those delaying trips to Florida because of the weather.

Organisers are trying to ensure other guests, such as Coldplay, Janet Jackson, The Killers, Usher and Carmen Elektra, are not put off.

Weathermen said the storm is likely to become a hurricane, with 160kph (100mph) winds and severe flooding, by Sunday.

Jim Lushine, of the National Weather Service in Miami, warned: 'We're going to get swamped here, is what it amounts to.'

Ironically, water is the theme of the awards show this year. Diddy, formerly known as Puff Daddy, is due to host Sunday's ceremony. He told spectators: 'Rain or shine, the party is on.'

But MTV was yesterday forced to cancel outdoor events which were meant to kickstart the four-day Florida festival.

Meanwhile, the death toll in Europe's floods continued to rise as the military were called in to help.

The number of people killed in Romania, Austria, Bulgaria, Germany and Switzerland rose to 42 as army helicopters ferried supplies to alpine valleys cut off by floods.