Hurricane Fiona hit the tiny British territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands at Category 3 strength on Tuesday morning, after devastating Puerto Rico.
Hurricane-force winds and torrential rains lashed Grand Turk Island, the Caribbean territory’s capital, after the government was forced to impose a curfew and asked people to flee flood-prone areas. On Tuesday morning, Fiona’s eye was 40 miles (65 kilometers) north-northwest of Grand Turk, with gale-force winds extending up to 30 miles (45 kilometers) from the vortex.
Its maximum sustained winds were 185 kilometers per hour (115 miles per hour) and it was moving north-northwest at 15 km/h (9 mph), according to the US National Hurricane Center, which said it is The meteor is likely to further strengthen to a Category 4 hurricane on Friday as it approaches Bermuda.
“Storms are unpredictable,” Turks and Caicos Premier Washington Misick said in a statement from London, where he was attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. “Therefore, they must take all precautions to ensure their safety.”