Hurricane Joaquin strengthened to a Category Four storm Saturday as it moved away from the Bahamas, where it destroyed homes, caused flooding and left hundreds without power. "Joaquin is a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale," the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a statement, adding that "a gradual weakening is still anticipated during the next couple of days."
Joaquin was packing 155 mile-per-hour (250-kilometer-per-hour) winds and had become "severe" the NHC said, as it announced the hurricane's ascent on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale. "The eye of Joaquin will continue to move away from the Bahamas today, and pass west of Bermuda on Sunday," the NHC said. "Gusty winds will continue to affect portions of the central and southeastern Bahamas," it said, adding that Joaquin was expected to produce up to 25 inches (64 centimeters) of rain in parts of that area. Joaquin was located 595 miles southwest of Bermuda, traveling northeast at 16 miles per hour.
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