Category 5 hurricanes are rare and are capable of inflicting life-threatening winds, storm surges and rainfall. US president Donald Trump declared emergencies in Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The storm’s eye was expected to pass about 50 miles (80km) from Puerto Rico late on Wednesday. “The dangerousness of this event is like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rossello said. Government officials began evacuations and urged people to finalise all preparations as store shelves emptied out around Puerto Rico.

Source: The Guardian September 06, 2017 01:50 UTC