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Caribbean islands prepare for Hurricane Maria Caribbean islands prepare for Hurricane Maria
(about 1 hour later)
Caribbean islands still coming to terms with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma are preparing themselves for a possible second major storm in two weeks. Some of the Caribbean islands devastated by Hurricane Irma are preparing themselves for a possible second major storm in two weeks.
Tropical Storm Maria was upgraded to a category one hurricane force on Sunday by the US National Hurricane Center.Tropical Storm Maria was upgraded to a category one hurricane force on Sunday by the US National Hurricane Center.
The storm is currently following roughly the same path as Irma. It is currently following roughly the same path as Irma, and is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours.
As a result, hurricane warnings have been issued for the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico. As a result, hurricane warnings have been issued for Guadeloupe, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Montserrat.
They were all hit by Hurricane Irma - the category five storm which left at least 37 people dead and caused billions of dollars worth of damage - earlier this month. A hurricane watch is now in effect for the US and British Virgin Islands, St Martin, St Barts, Saba, St Eustatius and Anguilla.
France has also issued a hurricane warning for its territory of Guadeloupe. Some the islands were hit by Hurricane Irma - the category five storm which left at least 37 people dead and caused billions of dollars' worth of damage - earlier this month.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Maria had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km) at 21:00 GMT on Sunday and is expected to cross the Leeward Islands, that include the Virgin Islands, on Monday night. In its latest update at 21:00 GMT on Sunday, the NHC said Maria had maximum sustained winds of 75mph (120 km/h) and was expected to cross the Leeward Islands on Monday night.
Puerto Rico avoided a direct hit with Hurricane Irma, but in the British Virgin Islands entire neighbourhoods were flattened. The eye of the storm was 140 miles east-northeast of Barbados, and Maria was moving west-northwest at about 15mph.
Earlier this month, Irma left more than two-thirds of homes on the Dutch side of the island of St Martin (known as Sint Maarten) uninhabitable, with no electricity, gas or drinking water.
The French government has said its side of St Martin - known as Saint-Martin - sustained about €1.2bn ($1.44bn; £1.1bn) in damage, with nine deaths across Saint-Martin and St Barts.
On the British Virgin Islands, entire neighbourhoods were flattened.
After a visit to the area, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described the damage as something "you see in images of from the First World War".After a visit to the area, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described the damage as something "you see in images of from the First World War".
Virgin boss Richard Branson, who has a home in the Virgin Islands, has been tweeting ahead of the storm's predicted arrival, warning people to stay safe.Virgin boss Richard Branson, who has a home in the Virgin Islands, has been tweeting ahead of the storm's predicted arrival, warning people to stay safe.
A second hurricane, Jose, is also active in the Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds of 90mph.
The centre of the storm was about 335 miles south-east of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, the NHC said in its advisory at 21:00 GMT on Sunday.
Tropical storm watches have been issued for parts of the north-eastern US.