(110 words)

U.S. and Caribbean brace for powerful storm

Hurricane Irma, a powerful Category 4 storm, is ploughing towards the Caribbean and Florida as islands in its path brace for possible life-threatening winds, storm surges and flooding

Potential track area
All times EST (GMT-4)
20:00 Sep 6
20:00 Sep 7
20:00 Sep 8
20:00 Sep 9
08:00 Sep 6
20:00 Sep 5

State of emergency declared in Florida and Puerto Rico 

JAMAICA
MEXICO
COLOMBIA
VENEZUELA
UNITED STATES
ATLANTIC OCEAN 
PACIFIC OCEAN
CUBA
HAITI
PUERTO RICO (U.S.)
DOMINICAN REP.
FLORIDA
Leeward Islands
Caribbean Sea

250 miles
400km

Sources: U.S. National Hurricane Center