Hurricane Irma, Packing 185-M.P.H. Winds, Makes Landfall in Caribbean

Hurricane Irma, Packing 185-M.P.H. Winds, Makes Landfall in Caribbean
— Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded, battered the islands of the northeast Caribbean
early Wednesday, leaving severe damage in its wake as it barreled toward the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Irma threatens havoc and widespread destruction across Puerto Rico, a United States territory of 3.4 million people, the island of Hispaniola (home to the Dominican Republic
and Haiti), Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, and the United States Virgin Islands, among others.
Irma, a Category 5 storm packing winds of up to 185 miles an hour, first made landfall at 2 a.m. on Barbuda,
and later in the morning passed directly over St. Martin, the National Hurricane Center reported.
President Trump declared a state of emergency in Puerto Rico, Florida and the United States Virgin Islands on Tuesday.