Washington, Sept. 19 (Antara/Xinhua-OANA) - Maria has rapidly intensified into a major hurricane as its eye is expected to move through the Leeward Islands in northeast Caribbean Sea later on Monday.
The center of the storm was about 95 kilometers east of Martinique and 150 kilometers east-southeast of Dominica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory Monday.
Maria is moving west-northwest at a speed of 17 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts at higher speed, according to the agency.
On the forecast track, the major hurricane will move across the Leeward Islands late Monday, over the extreme northeastern Caribbean Sea on in the next two days before approaching Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Wednesday.
Hurricane warnings, which mean hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours, are in effect for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and the British island of Montserrat, Martinique, St. Lucia, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and Anguilla. Puerto Rico, which has a hurricane watch in effect, has declared a state of emergency.
Maria is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the hurricane center said. "Additional rapid strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours."
A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves, according to the advisory, will raise water levels by as much as 1.5 to 2.1 meters above normal tie levels in the hurricane warning area near where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
Maria is taking aim at the vulnerable islands region that is still coping with the devastation caused earlier this month by Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, which has killed up to 81 people in the Caribbean and southern United States.
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The center of the storm was about 95 kilometers east of Martinique and 150 kilometers east-southeast of Dominica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory Monday.
Maria is moving west-northwest at a speed of 17 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts at higher speed, according to the agency.
On the forecast track, the major hurricane will move across the Leeward Islands late Monday, over the extreme northeastern Caribbean Sea on in the next two days before approaching Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Wednesday.
Hurricane warnings, which mean hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours, are in effect for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and the British island of Montserrat, Martinique, St. Lucia, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for Antigua and Barbuda, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and Anguilla. Puerto Rico, which has a hurricane watch in effect, has declared a state of emergency.
Maria is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the hurricane center said. "Additional rapid strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours."
A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves, according to the advisory, will raise water levels by as much as 1.5 to 2.1 meters above normal tie levels in the hurricane warning area near where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
Maria is taking aim at the vulnerable islands region that is still coping with the devastation caused earlier this month by Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, which has killed up to 81 people in the Caribbean and southern United States.
Editor : John Nikita S
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Ambon, Maluku 2017