Major Hurricane Maria threatens Caribbean

Hurricane warnings are also in place for:
Puerto Rico: The US territory expects Maria to make landfall as a category three on Tuesday. It escaped the worst of Irma and has been an important hub for getting relief to islands more badly affected. Governor Ricardo Rossello urged islanders to seek refuge
US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands: Both island chains suffered severe damage from Irma and President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the US territories on Monday. British authorities fear debris left behind by Irma could be whipped up by the new storm and pose an extra threat.

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The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) increased the strength of Maria in just a few hours on Monday from a category two storm, to a category four and then to category five - the highest level.

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Dominica is a former British colony with a population of 72,000 about half way between Guadeloupe and Martinique.

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Hurricane Maria, the second maximum-strength Atlantic storm of the season, is bearing down on the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

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The governor of Puerto Rico, a US territory, has told the island's 3.5 million people to seek shelter with the hurricane poised to make landfall around 8am local time (1300 GMT).

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Hurricane Maria, the devastating storm pushing north-west through the Caribbean, has landed in Puerto Rico.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said it arrived in Yabucoa in the east of the US territory, producing winds of 150 mph (250 km/h).
The hurricane earlier hit St Croix in the US Virgin Islands.

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Hurricane Maria has knocked out power to the entire island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5m people.

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