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Hurricane Maria upgraded to Category 5, threatens Caribbean, Puerto Rico

WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (KUNA) -- Hurricane Maria on Monday evening was upgraded to the highest-level Category 5, with winds of 160 miles per hour, threatening residents in the Caribbean with potential widespread destruction from the central Lesser Antilles through Puerto Rico.
"Maria is likely to affect Puerto Rico as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and a hurricane warning is in effect for that island," the National Hurricane Center said.
Meanwhile, the much less powerful Hurricane Jose, off the northeast coast of the US, was expected to cause some coastal flooding and possible wind damage from eastern Long Island to coastal Massachusetts, weather officials predicted.
Maria, located 15 miles east-southeast of Dominica on Monday night, was expected to pass over that island as the first Category 5 storm in recorded history to hit Dominica.
The storm also was moving across the islands of Martinique, French Guadeloupe and St. Lucia, and passing close to St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat, officials said.
Tuesday, Maria was expected to move toward St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, which were hard hit earlier this month by Hurricane Irma, before closing in on Puerto Rico by Wednesday. (end) rm.sd