Hurricane Erin is now a Category 5 storm as it rapidly intensified and threatens the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico, then will move along the U.S. East Coast

While the hurricane’s center was not expected to strike land, it threatened to dump flooding rains in the northeast Caribbean as it continued to grow larger.

Erin has become a Category 4 hurricane in the Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Erin strengthened into a powerful Category 4 storm Saturday in the Caribbean,