SAMANA, Dominican Republic — Hurricane Irene cut a destructive path through the Caribbean on Monday, raking Puerto Rico with strong winds and rain then spinning just north of the Dominican Republic on a track that could carry it to the southeast coast of the U.S. as a major storm by week’s end.
Irene slashed across Puerto Rico, tearing up trees and knocking out power to more than a million people, then headed out to sea north of the Dominican Republic, where the powerful storm’s outer bands were buffeting the north coast with dangerous sea surge and downpours.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the Category 1 storm was expected to strengthen during the next two days and could be near major hurricane strength by the time it tracks over the central Bahamas.
Irene is forecast to grow into a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 115 mph on Thursday. And it may carry that force northwest along Florida’s Atlantic coast and toward a possible strike on South Carolina, though forecasters warned that by the weekend, the storm’s path could vary significantly from the current projection.
Today, the hurricane was expected to pass near or over the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.
In the British Virgin Islands, guests, including actress Kate Winslet, escaped uninjured from a blaze that destroyed Richard Branson’s home when Irene hit early Monday, said the British businessman. The cause was probably lightning, officials said.
The Virgin Group boss said about 20 people, including Winslet and her children, were staying in the eight-bedroom Great House on Necker, his private island.
Branson said the house was “completely destroyed” and that the fire was not entirely out Monday.
“My office was based in the house, and I have lost thousands of photographs, which is very sad,” Branson said.
