Hurricane Igor gathers strength on westward track
Hurricane Igor has strengthened in the Atlantic and is moving westwards, forecasters warned.
The category four storm with winds of up to 135mph (220km/h) is currently 1,565 miles (2,520km) east of the Dominican Republic.
Forecasters say it could cross the northern Caribbean, possibly heading toward Bermuda.
However, they added it was too early to make any definitive predictions about the hurricane's path.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Igor had "rapidly intensified".
"Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours," it said.
Igor has become the fourth hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic season, following Alex, Danielle and Earl.
Hurricane Earl churned up the east coast of the US and Canada earlier this month, toppling trees and power lines and causing minor flooding.
One person died in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia after securing a boat that had slipped its moorings.