Matthew intensifies into Category 4; expected to brush US east coast

Hurricane Matthew intensified into a Category 4 hurricane as it passed through the Caribbean, and is expected to impact Haiti, Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and the Bahamas.

The hurricane is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in the last few years, and could cause wide-spread damage and flooding.

The hurricane first passed through the Windward Islands and Barbados as a tropical storm on Wednesday September 28.

“The storm is reported to have dumped 9.21 inches of rain at the George FL Charles Airport on northern St. Lucia on Wednesday into Thursday; at the Hewanorra International Airport on southern St. Lucia, 13.19 inches were recorded during the 12-hour period between 8pm, September 28, and 8 am, on September 29,” said Scott Stransky, assistant vice president and principal scientist at AIR Worldwide.

In St Lucia and Dominica, businesses, government offices and schools were ordered shut.

In Barbados, Matthew caused widespread flooding, downed trees and power outages.

It is unclear whether Matthew will make a US landfall or just brush the East Coast.